GLOBAL MIGRATION SUMMIT IN DHAKA

Lowering cost, HR protection, governance to be emphasised

Bangladesh is going to hold the ninth summit meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Dhaka on December 10-12 to be participated by several hundreds of government officials and members of civil society from across the world. The participants would discuss various aspects of migration at the summit with emphasis on issues including lowering the migration cost, protecting human rights of migrants in any situation and governance.

The summit will also talk about protecting migrants in crises like conflict, climate change and natural disaster.
So far, 200 government officials and 300 civil society representatives from 73 countries have confirmed their participation, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a press briefing at the foreign ministry yesterday.
Some 30 ministers are expected to attend the summit, he said, adding that this number can increase as the registration is on going.
This is going to be the biggest ever government-organised event in the country, said the foreign secretary.
Replying to a volley of questions regarding the violence against Rohingyas in neighbouring Myanmar, Haque reminded that this is a global event, not a bilateral one and that the government is dealing with the Rohingya issue like a responsible government should.
However, he said that the elements in conflict in Rakhine state would be discussed in the summit in the global perspective rather than a bilateral one. 
To a question, the top diplomat of the country hoped that all the neighbouring countries would participate in the event.
However, he would not confirm if Myanmar has already confirmed its participation in the summit.
According to the programme schedule, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the summit with the theme ‘Migration that works for Sustainable Development for all: Towards a Transformative Migration Agenda’.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director General Guy Ryder, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) Director General William Lacy Swing and UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for International Migration Peter Sutherland and UN Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbu will attend the summit.
The foreign secretary said that prior to the summit a two-day civil society programme will be held on December 8 and 9 and report of the programme will be submitted at the inauguration session of the summit. 
Report from the GFMD Business mechanism will also be placed at the session, he said, adding that this is for the first time that the business community is going to be involved with the summit. The three-day summit will comprise three roundtables and each of the roundtables will have two side events.

GLOBAL MIGRATION SUMMIT IN DHAKA

Lowering cost, HR protection, governance to be emphasised

Bangladesh is going to hold the ninth summit meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Dhaka on December 10-12 to be participated by several hundreds of government officials and members of civil society from across the world. The participants would discuss various aspects of migration at the summit with emphasis on issues including lowering the migration cost, protecting human rights of migrants in any situation and governance. The summit will also talk about protecting migrants in crises like conflict, climate change and natural disaster. So far, 200 government officials and 300 civil society representatives from 73 countries have confirmed their participation, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a press briefing at the foreign ministry yesterday. Some 30 ministers are expected to attend the summit, he said, adding that this number can increase as the registration is on going. This is going to be the biggest ever government-organised event in the country, said the foreign secretary. Replying to a volley of questions regarding the violence against Rohingyas in neighbouring Myanmar, Haque reminded that this is a global event, not a bilateral one and that the government is dealing with the Rohingya issue like a responsible government should. However, he said that the elements in conflict in Rakhine state would be discussed in the summit in the global perspective rather than a bilateral one. To a question, the top diplomat of the country hoped that all the neighbouring countries would participate in the event. However, he would not confirm if Myanmar has already confirmed its participation in the summit. According to the programme schedule, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the summit with the theme Migration that works for Sustainable Development for all: Towards a Transformative Migration Agenda. International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director General Guy Ryder, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) Director General William Lacy Swing and UN Secretary-Generals Special Representative for International Migration Peter Sutherland and UN Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbu will attend the summit. The foreign secretary said that prior to the summit a two-day civil society programme will be held on December 8 and 9 and report of the programme will be submitted at the inauguration session of the summit. Report from the GFMD Business mechanism will also be placed at the session, he said, adding that this is for the first time that the business community is going to be involved with the summit. The three-day summit will comprise three roundtables and each of the roundtables will have two side events.