Inputs by Prof. HB Mkhize, Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa at the Special Session on the Future of the Forum 10th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (Gfmd) Thursday, Berlin, Germany

Chairperson:

The original proposal by the former UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, was to hold discussions on migration and development within the UN system, a view largely shared by the G77+China. Due to failure to reach an agreement on this, a compromise was reached wherein the former Secretary-General in his report (A/60/871) to the High Level Dialogue (HLD) suggested that the debate on migration and development should take place under an informal consultative body to allow Governments to build relationship of trust, and to share best practices on migration and development;

In view of the IOM having been granted a status of a Related Organisation to the UN, it therefore makes it necessary that the call of the former UNSG to integrate the migration-related issues into the fold of the UN system is realised. In other words, the special relationship between the IOM and the UN is not an end in itself, but a means to an end;

The current configuration of the Steering Committee of the GFMD makes a strong case for migration and development to be discussed within the UN, as it inhibits full participation by all States because of its limited and skewed membership;

The Forum was not envisaged to be a permanent structure wherein issues of migration and development would reside, however it was a confidence-building mechanism intended to foster trust and common understanding that will lead to the agenda being relocated to where it rightfully belongs, i.e. the United Nations;

The migration agenda has become a global phenomenon that cannot be discussed outside of the formal framework of the UN;

South Africa envisages the elaboration of a United Nations Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration that achieves a vision of relocating migration and development into the fold of the UN system;

South Africa’s position on the features which should characterise the UN Global Compact is as follows:

(a) Address migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, which tackles its root causes, such as underdevelopment which manifests itself through conflict, poverty, unemployment;

(b) Be largely inspired by the 2030 Agenda for inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development;

(c) Bring about a balance between security considerations and development;

(d) To take into account the levels of development of countries when addressing issues of burden-sharing;

(e) To also take into account the developmental needs of the developing countries such as infrastructure, capacity-building, knowledge and technology transfer; and

(f) Promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, peace and security.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa