DPRN REGIONAL EXPERT MEETING

Transcription

1 DPRN REGIONAL EXPERT MEETING Utrecht, 21 December 2007 Migration for development? Viewpoints and policy initiatives of the countries of origin/ destination, migrant organisations and donor agencies

2 DPRN regional expert meeting 2007 Migration for development? Viewpoints and policy initiatives of the countries of origin/destination, migrant organisations and donor agencies 21 December 2007, Faculty Club, Kanunnikenzaal, Achter de Dom 7, Utrecht This meeting focuses on achieving a better understanding of the implications of international migration for development from the perspective of different actors, namely the sending countries (in sub-saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America) and countries of destination (EU), migrant/diaspora organisations, donor agencies and the private sector. More specifically, it is concerned with the question of how a coherent international migration policy can contribute to the fight against poverty. Special attention is paid to how international migration contributes to/restricts development opportunities, and its implications for poverty alleviation. Although there are opposing views on the implications of international migration, a growing consensus is now emerging that, although international migration does not automatically lead to favourable effects, it can contribute to development and poverty reduction provided an appropriate and consistent policy is pursued. International organisations (UN, IOM, ILO etc.), the national governments of numerous countries and migrant organisations are now actively involved in optimising the link between international migration and development. There are many different initiatives aimed at streamlining international migration and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and governments of sending and receiving countries are increasingly involved in unifying their attempts in managing migration in the right directions. However, much of what is happening today is taking place on the basis of initiatives by the receiving countries. Current debates place a lot of emphasis on the triple win of circular migration without knowing how to optimise the development impact of migration; the EU and individual EU countries are actively involved in managing migration through bilateral and multilateral agreements and this is generating new regionalisms and is contributing to shifts in power relations. At the same time, diaspora organisations and donor agencies are initiating all kinds of projects and activities which are not necessarily consistent with local priorities and/or mainstream policies. The link between the private sector and migration is multifaceted, and ranges from the emergence of migration industries to labour-supply issues. Even though a lot of governments perceive international migration as a positive force in their attempt to achieve development, there is a lack of clarity regarding how to deal with the multitude of new actors and streamline development initiatives. This meeting aims to explore the migration-development nexus and/or the implications for poverty alleviation, and to analyse ways of optimising the development impact of different types of international migration while restricting the negative consequences. Topics of special interests are the following: south-south/ south-north migration; braingain/circular migration; recruitment mechanisms; transit migration; labour mobility and human capital development; remittances and

3 diaspora resources; human rights; new partnerships and migration agreements and policy coherence. Questions to be addressed during the sessions Keynote To what extent is internal migration connected to international migration and what are the prospects for development? Panel 1 What factors are determinant for the migration-development nexus, from a regional perspective (Asia, Africa, Latin America)? Panel 2 What are the determining factors for the migration-development nexus, from the perspective of different migration flows (low/high skilled, male/female, old/young, labour migrants/refugees)? Panel 3 What is the role of government, civil society and the private sector in optimising the development impact of migration? Organising committee: Michiel Baud (CEDLA) Valentina Mazzucato (UvA) Ton van Naerssen (RU) Marieke van Renssen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Thanh-Dam Truong (ISS) Annelies Zoomers/ Gery Nijenhuis (UU coord.) The expert meeting is being organised by the Centre for Latin American Study and Documentation (CEDLA), International Development Studies (IDS)/Human Geography of Utrecht University and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with Radboud University, Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and Amsterdam University (UvA). Registration Participation is free of charge, but registration is required! Those who have an account at the Global-Connections web portal for development expertise can register (before 19 December 2007; max. 70 participants) by filling out the registration form at Those who do not yet have such an account can create one at Once you have created an account, you can register for this meeting by selecting Register for a DPRN meeting at Participants are kindly invited to bring materials (books, articles, brochures) for the information market during lunch. Further information can be obtained by from Gery Nijenhuis (phone: ; g.nijenhuis@geo.uu.nl). Information about other DPRN events can be found at

4 The Development Policy Review Network is a platform of development experts and policymakers who aim to reduce the gap between science, policy and development practice. To that end the DPRN organizes thematic and regional expert meetings and is developing a virtual community portal to provide searchable access to development expertise in the Netherlands and Belgium. More information can be found at and General: CERES-office, Utrecht University, Faculty of Social Sciences P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands Tel.: (+31) , Fax: (+31) , info@dprn.nl Websites: and Regional expert meetings: Dr Mirjam A.F. Ros-Tonen, Universiteit van Amsterdam Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, 1018 VZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tel: (+31) / 4062, Fax (+31) , mirjam.ros@dprn.nl

5 Final programme Date: 21 December 2007 Venue (new location!): Faculty Club, Kanunnikenzaal, Achter de Dom 7, Utrecht Website Faculty Club: Theme: DPRN regional expert meeting: Migration for Development? Viewpoints and policy initiatives of the countries of origin/destination, migrant organisations and donor agencies Coffee Opening and introduction by Mirjam Ros-Tonen (DPRN), Michiel Baud (CEDLA), Annelies Zoomers (UU) and a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Key note by Ronald Skeldon (University of Sussex) on the connection between internal and international migration and the prospects for development. Discussant: Hein de Haas (International Migration Institute, University of Oxford) Coffee break Panel debate round 1 (short presentations by 4 speakers followed by plenary debate) on the determinant factors for development, from a regional perspective (Africa, Asia and Latin America) With Daniele Cologna (SYNERGIA Milan), Robert Lensink (RUG), Valentina Mazzucato (UvA) and Martha Montero-Sieburth (University of Massachusetts-Boston) Lunch and information market Panel debate round 2 (short presentations by speakers followed by plenary debate), on the development impact of the different types of migration flows (skilled versus low-skilled; male-female; old-young; labour migrants versus refugees etc.). With Ton van Naerssen (RU), Thanh-Dam Truong (ISS) and Arie de Ruijter (UvT) Tea break Panel debate round 3 (short presentations by speakers followed by plenary debate) on the role of the government, civil society and the private sector In optimising the migration-development nexus. What is the right direction? With Marieke van Renssen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Awil Mohamoud (African Diaspora Policy Centre), Huub Severiens (COS-Rijnmond) and Annelies Zoomers (UU) Drinks/ farewell