SIXTH INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS CONFERENCE

WORKSHOP 56: Building partnerships towards managed migration: global cooperation in the context of migration (considerations for source, transit and destination countries)

FOCUS: The quest for the impact of globalization and the evolution towards global cooperation on migration and migratory movements

Thursday, November 29, 2001
14:00 - 17:30


ORGANIZER:

Peter van Krieken
Senior Policy Advisor, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Ministry of Justice
P.O. Box 30125, 2500 GC The Hague, The Netherlands
31-70-3703379 (tel)
31-70-3703299 (fax)
pkrieken@ind.minjus.nl

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

The increase in the intensity of migration flows and in their complexity poses challenges that require complex and multidisciplinary government responses. The management of both the positive and negative aspects of international migration, including asylum movements, requires that we understand the complex interrelationships of its underlying causes. Attempts to control large movements of people, even with the best collaborative efforts among countries, will not be productive if we do not also address the complex causes underlying those movements. But we also need to discuss how we get to a point where we can orchestrate "best collaborative efforts among countries". And then we need to ensure that these efforts are broader than immediate measures of access control and include building capacity, promoting human rights, peace-building, development assistance, democracy, trade, combating trafficking and migrant smuggling. A good example of the kind of concrete partnerships needed is the High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration of the European Union (HLWG) which is the first institutionalised attempt by governments to address migration issues with a comprehensive approach.

Part A of the workshop will explore issues such as the institutional arrangements required for the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach to migration and asylum. Several questions will be examined. What are the requirements for the development of a comprehensive dialogue to managing migration? What are the concrete ways to better understand the linkages between push and pull factors of migration flows? What are the challenges and opportunities of the HLWG? Is it necessary to achieve policy coherence at the member state level before achieving it at the EU level? What are the pros and cons of this approach? What altrenative (sub-regional) approaches would be beneficial for such dialogue?

This session could include short presentations from:
(1) Peter Bosch, the European Commission on the HLWG (approach and work done to date in developing a common approach towards migration),
(2) Rolf Jenny, feedback from the Berne Initiative held 14-15 June
(3) Peter van Krieken, Webster University
(4) Lise van Haaren, Dutch Ministery of Forein Affairs

Part B of the workshop will examine concrete areas of partnership to achieve results on one of today's key migration challenges, namely the question of returns (including deportation, removal and repatriation). Several questions will need to be addressed.

Which partnerships are needed to implement return policies? Lessons learned to date.
How can a multidisciplinary approach lead to the partnerships needed to facilitate returns?
Would or should these partnerships involve new actors (ex. with NGOS, private sector)?
To what degree can partnerships make the process of return more viable (ex. reintegration programmes, cooperation as to identification, issuance of ID cards/travel docs, the existence / absence of readmissions agreements, the experiences thus far with such agreements, the issue of transit).

This session could include presentations on:
(1) Irena Omelaniuk, IOM
(2) Lionel Fernando, Sri Lankan ambassador to the Netherlands
(3) Jonas Widgren, Director ICMPD
(4) Hans Baumgartner, Legal advisor division reception and return

Chair: Rosaline Frith, Director-General of Integration, Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

STRUCTURE

In each of the workshops the invited participants are asked to make a brief statement on the questions mentioned above. The chairperson will take care these statement remain brief and to the point. After the opening statement the chairperson will manage the discussion amongst the participants. At the end of the workshop the chairperson will summarise the main points raised in the discussion.

NB This workshop will be carried out in close cooperation with the BFF(CH), Mr Gottfriend Zurcher in particular. In order to avoid any duplications with the Swiss Workshop on 'Architecture mondiale & Intergovernmental coordination in the field of migration'.