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A number of solutions to the EU’s burgeoning migrant crisis are presented at this high-level meeting during UN General Assembly 71.
Having spent the week at UN General Assembly 71 in New York City and attending a variety of migration-related events, one particular event provided a broad approach to migration, with expertise coming from every corner of the world: “Large movements of refugees and migrants: global challenge, regional responses, comprehensive strategy”, hosted by the Permanent Missions of Italy, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Jordan, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, The International Organization for Migration, and UNHCR. Using the information learned and reports received, it was determined that the EU (with a representative in attendance) could learn much from existing effective migration patterns, protocols, and paradigms. Compiling a list of compelling points made by various speakers, one could consider the selection of tools available to the EU to control migration:
- From Kaffa Rakietou Christelle Jackou, Minister of Population in Niger: Niger has been leveraging a $35 million USD food emergency plan. Jackou took a moment to examine the power of adhoc responses, the power of migrant transit centers and developing a national agency on migration.
- From Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees: His remarks concerned recognizing the shortfalls and discrepancies of the London Conference, regarded as “five years too late”.
Some other things to consider in the context of the migration in Africa, specifically policies that are designed to promote migration, as discussed in the meeting:
- Uganda gives land and mechanisms to empower migrants. During this meeting, migrants are often regarded as people on the move, as often migrants and refugees go to the same place for vastly different reasons, but utilize the same mechanisms to reach these destinations.
- The EU representative at this meeting spoke candidly as an extension of a devotion to Africa, but perhaps not migrants: external investment plan on behalf of the EU is aggressive. The EU is mobilizing $44 billion to accompany private investment in Africa. This was in conjunction/response to a comment made by Jordan’s Deputy PM regarding the fact that migrants can enrich economies. Jordan is a particularly fascinating case study in this, having been one of the oldest migrant territories.
- Unfortunately, data on migrants is difficult to find, but working with Bram Frouws, on behalf of the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Kenya and the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat’s reports and the new Mixed Migration Monitoring Mechanism Initiative are designed to leverage and mobilize fact-finding that is timely and of quality. In a direct assessment, perhaps this subject is too broad.
