The sub-regional office for North Africa of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has rallied support for Mali’s efforts toward strengthening its migration policy.
In a workshop conducted by the ECA and Mali which was held on Wednesday, August 12, 2021, the issues discussed centered on the migration statistics and migrant skills recognition in Mali.
The meeting aimed to present the work plan and methodology of studies on both topics, consult with the working groups and with national and international partners. This was so that participants may get a better understanding of national migration policies.
In her opening speech, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Malians Abroad and African integration, Ms. Tangara Néma Guindo stressed the importance of improving the global management of migratory movements: “the highest authorities in our country have made this a top priority. This is why Mali has participated in all phases of negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.”
“The Republic of Mali is strongly committed to the implementation of this Pact: it has adopted a national action plan for its implementation, and the 23 objectives of the Pact are perfectly consistent with the objectives of the National Migration Policy,” she added.
According to recent statistics, about 80 per cent of African migration takes place within the continent presently. That notwithstanding, most African countries do not have robust migration policies, nor data collection systems that can provide needed information for the design of fact-based and more effective policies.
Link between migration and development
Similarly, while migrant integration has always happened naturally due to Africa’s well-known tradition of hospitality, there is a need for it to become better structured. Specifically, this kind of integration is supposed to be done through better skill recognition.
That said, migrants can actively contribute to their host countries’ development, acknowledges Sarah Boukri, Migration Program Manager at the ECA Office for North Africa.
“Mali is well aware of the existing link between migration and development, and has put in place many initiatives as part of its migration management strategy such as the one-stop shop for business creation, the signing of agreements with several countries, etc.
“Beyond the studies and reports, this program aims to generate an exchange around these important issues which are the recognition of skills and migration statistics at the national level, both between relevant departments but also at the continental level,” she opined.
Participants of the meeting included high-level representatives of the Mali Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Employment, Scientific research and Health and social Affairs, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), research institutes and other key stakeholders.
According to ECA, the project is being carried out as part of ECA’s support to African countries for implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
This also fits into the implementation of both Agendas 2030 and 2063 as per the recommendations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
Essentially, it is currently carried out in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe with the aim to strengthen these countries’ capacity to design or improve their migration policies.
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