mainstreaming migration, development and remittances in the ldc post-brussels plan of action
DESCRIPTION
UNLDC-IV Pre-conference event New York, 17 June 2010. MAINSTREAMING MIGRATION, DEVELOPMENT AND REMITTANCES IN THE LDC POST-BRUSSELS PLAN OF ACTION. Michele Klein Solomon Director, Migration Policy and Research IOM Geneva. OVERVIEW. 2. 1. INTRODUCTION. IOM‘s involvement in LDCs - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
MAINSTREAMING MIGRATION, DEVELOPMENT AND REMITTANCES IN THE LDC POST-BRUSSELS PLAN OF ACTION
Michele Klein SolomonDirector, Migration Policy and Research
IOM Geneva
UNLDC-IV Pre-conference event New York, 17 June 2010
OVERVIEW
2
1. INTRODUCTION
IOM‘s involvement in LDCs
dates back to 2001:
Key message: Need for mainstreaming migration into UNLDC-IV
3
3
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Contrary to common perception, South-South migration is significantly more important in LDCs than South-North(World Bank, 2008)
LDCs are particularly affected by highly skilled emigration to OECD countries, especially among women:
34% of LDC workers in OECD countries in 2000 (Docquier and Marfouk, 2006) Emigration rate of highly-skilled women from LDCs 17.1 % in 2000 (Docquier et al.,
2008)
Migrants from LDCs send home billions in remittances USD 24 billion in remittances 2009; 1.5 billion more than in 2008 (World Bank, 2009;
Ratha et al., 2010) Despite low in absolute numbers, important for LDCs in relative terms as second
only to ODA, superseded FDI in 2007
Key messages: Challenge: Incomplete and unreliable data
Private funds, cannot substitute official flows
4
4
5
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Fast demographic growth and rural-urban migration in LDCs can strain infrastructure, service delivery and human development
Population to increase by 200 million until 2020
Urban population expected to grow by 120 million until 2020 (UN DESA/pop, 2008; 2009)
Increasing numbers of immigrants in LDCs Number grew by 600,000 since 2000; 47.6% are female migrants (UN
DESA/pop, 2009)
LDCs host significant numbers of refugees and IDPs 1 in 5 refugees worldwide in 2008 received protection in an
LDC At least 2 out of 5 IDPs were forced to move within an LDC
(10.5million; UNHCR, 2009)
Labour migration trends in LDCs:
Some of the populous Asian LDCs and Island
States resorted to labour markets overseas Predominantly intra-regional labour migration
flows in sub-Saharan Africa and from Haiti
The majority of workers from LDCs are lower skilled,
yet immigration policies tend to favour the highly skilled
LDCs are promoting temporary market access under GATS ‘mode 4‘ specifically for low-skilled service providers
Key message: Labour mobility can entail signficant welfare gains,
triple ‘win‘ situation Youth unemployment as a driver of migration could turn
young people into ‘youth bulge‘
6
6
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Still lacking: Effective respect for human rights
of migrants, migrant workers and their children
Extent of irregular migration not exactly known possibly between 1.2 and 1.7 million in LDCs
(= 10-15% of international migrants; ILO, 2004)
The dangers of irregular migration: Sexual exploitation and forced labour,
women and children particularly vulnerable
Trafficking in human beings Lack of access to basic services
Key message Protection of human
rights remains a challenge
7
7
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
LDCs are particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change and environmental degradation as a driver of migration
up to 860 million people in LDCs and SIDS could be affected (UN-OHRLLS, 2009)
6 out of 20 countries with the highest level of disaster- related displacement in 2008 were LDCs (IDMC and
OCHA, 2009)
Low coping capacity
8
8
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Development impact of climate change
Effects on human health Gradual deterioration of the resource base
Impact on agricultural production Water stress Increase in hunger, food crises and
poverty
Magnitude of movements from megacities in coastal areas in LDCs like Bangladesh and Myanmar could increase further
Threat for livelihood strategies and human security through high number of rural and poor populations in LDCs
Key message: Need to recognize migration as an adaptation strategy, e.g. in NAPAs
9
9
2. MIGRATION TRENDS AND KEY CHALLENGES
10
10
3. THE IMPACT OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRISIS
The impact is dependent on the broader economic and political context
Impact of remittances at the macroeconomic level: Key source of foreign exchange Increase external value of currency or exchange rate High dependence can pose risks
… and at the microeconomic level: Expand HH income – poverty alleviation Realization of the human rights to food,
education, health care Inherent risks of dependency on remittances Mostly used for consumption, e.g. Angola,
Bangladesh case studies11
11
4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF REMITTANCES & OTHER DIASPORA RESOURCES TO DEVELOPMENT
Potential role of the diasporas: Private sector contributions
Role in private sector development still at nascent stage
Lower risk perception than traditional investors
Remittances can offer Access to capital, thus fostering entrepreneurship Finance for public infrastructure projects e.g. in Senegal River Valley in West Africa
Promotion of the development of the
financial sector
Sharing of know-how and innovative practices
through transnational networks
e.g. HTAs of Haitians in the US 12
12
4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF REMITTANCES & OTHER DIASPORA RESOURCES TO DEVELOPMENT
Potential role of diaspora members: Trade contributions Knowledge of the local context in origin countries and the market in the
destination country
- Caribbean diaspora networks in trade, tourism, investment
Networks and contacts in origin and destination countries
- Samoan migrants in NZ
Transfer of skills, technology and ideas Transfer of new values, expectations, ideas and social capital
- President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia
New techniques and transfer of human capital - workers from Vanuatu returning from NZ
Donation of technology - IOM‘s MIDA project in Ethiopia
Virtual transfer of skills - IOM‘s Temporary RQN project in Afghanistan, Ethiopia,
Sierra Leone and Sudan
Key message: Potential role of diasporas in trade
and economic development
13
13
4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF REMITTANCES & OTHER DIASPORA RESOURCES TO DEVELOPMENT
The potential role of diaspora members in peacebuilding
Remittances provide a lifeline to relatives, e.g. Haiti, Somalia Support reconstruction efforts Filling critical human resource gaps by mobilizing diasporas, e.g. IOM‘s
MIDA Somalia, TRQN to Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Sudan Generate employment
As politically sensitive Need to build trust, e.g. through ‘Diaspora Dialogues‘
in the Great Lakes region, Sudan
Key message: This role could be explored and strengthened further
see UN SG 2009 report on
“Peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict“
14
14
4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF REMITTANCES & OTHER DIASPORA RESOURCES TO DEVELOPMENT
15
15
5. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Policy levels
Local / National / Bilateral / Regional / Global / Transnational
1. Enhance data collection
Examples:Add migration questions to population censuses in LDCsMigration Profiles, covering 6 LDCs in Central and West Africa
2. Maximize the benefits of human mobilityShort-term labour migration schemesGATS ‘Mode 4’ for low-skilled workers
3. Facilitate migrant remittances' transfersLower transfer costs through improved technology and cooperationLinking remittances to financial products and services
16
16
5. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The w
ay f
orw
ard
4. Leverage diasporas contributions
Examples:Fostering partnerships with diasporas through outreach, recognition and
institutionalization of diaspora contributionsSupporting investments by diaspora members in regions of origin
5. Enhance capacities and institutional reformsManaging the mobility of human resources for development purposesEnhancing capacities of migrants’ and diasporas’ networks
6. Target measures to pro-poor and vulnerable populations Development of national policy plans for migration induced by climate
change or environmental degradationMitigating the impact of the global economic crisis through delivery
of social services for most vulnerable populations
17
17
5. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The w
ay f
orw
ard
18
18
5. POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
New initiatives underway:
International Migrant Remittances Observatory for LDCs (IMRO)
under the leadership of Benin ACP Observatory on Migration, part of the ACP Migration Initiative,
started recently African Remittance Institute (ARI):
Signature of agreement in December 2009 ‘Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning: A Handbook for Policy-
Makers and Practitioners‘ by IOM and Global Migration Group (GMG)
Key message: Mainstreaming migration into LDCs‘ post-Brussels Plan of Action, national and
regional reviews
