G.C.J. Van Kessel is the Coordinator, Intergovernmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies in Europe, North America and Australia (IGC).  IGC is an informal, non-decision making forum for intergovernmental information exchange and policy debate on all issues of relevance to the management of international migration flows.

Prior to this position, which he has occupied since September 2001, Mr. Van Kessel was a career civil servant in Canada. s immigration program.  In his last assignment with Citizenship and Immigration Canada he was Director General, Refugees with responsibility for Canada. s program for the overseas selection of refugees for resettlement in Canada and for the policy relating to Canada. s inland refugee determination system.   Previous assignments included various responsibilities related to policy and operational aspects of migration management and delivery.

He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada and he has an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in London, England. 

Date of Birth:  March 6, 1944