Morocco is hosting the Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the ‘Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration’ today and tomorrow.

This is an important meeting and its outcomes will have a significant influence on World Nations working together to safeguard the positive integration and human rights of migrants all over the world. It is the culmination of negotiations that were started in earnest after the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution for this work to happen in 2017.

Pancha Narayanan, National President of Multicultural New Zealand said “The compact endeavours to capture the essence of the importance of international cooperation being required to handle global migration”. “As a matter of fact, human trafficking is a problem, and this is a framework to formalise an inter-governmental cooperation to international migration”. The IOM Global Compact on Migration is meant to protect the safety, dignity and human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants; to support countries rescuing, receiving and hosting large numbers of migrants; to integrate migrants – addressing their needs and capacities as well as those of receiving communities; to combat racism and discrimination towards all migrants; to develop, through a state-led process, non-binding principles and voluntary guidelines on the treatment of migrants in vulnerable situations; and to strengthen global governance of migration, through the development of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

The Compact itself will: address all aspects of international migration, including the humanitarian, developmental, human rights-related and other aspects; make an important contribution to global governance and enhance coordination on international migration; present a framework for comprehensive international cooperation on migrants and human mobility; set out a range of commitments, means of implementation and a framework for follow-up and review among Member States; be guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; and will be informed by the Declaration of the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. (Visit www. https://www.iom.int/global-compact-migration for more information).

“Why does this matter to New Zealand you may ask? New Zealand has one of the highest rates of migration in the OECD (Net migration 72,400 people in 2017). New Zealand is a democracy and works to uphold the human rights of its inhabitants, whether they are citizens, residents and new settlers and other visitors. New Zealand is committed to sustainable development and migration is an important consideration within that framework. New Zealand absolutely relies on migrants – skilled and unskilled – for its prosperity and its ability to provide essential services and create profitable goods for our export driven economy” said Pancha Narayanan, National President of Multicultural New Zealand.

“Through our work- supporting Regional Multicultural Councils, Newcomers Networks and countless newcomers - we know how important it is that migrants can properly integrate into their new communities, feel safe from racism and are thus able to positively contribute to New Zealand’s economy, communities and social fabric. “More importantly, this Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration framework will assist in recognition of migrants under the Treaty of Waitangi”.

“New Zealand is an important player in the United Nations and New Zealand’s support and commitment to this institution was clearly expressed in Prime Minister Ardern’s speech at the General Assembly in New York a few months ago. The speech spoke about New Zealand’s ability to be a leader and inspiration to other nations within that framework. Never before was the word kindness used by a head of state to define the nature of political decision-making that our world and its populations require at this time”.

“For all these reasons The Federation of Multicultural Councils of New Zealand (Multicultural New Zealand) calls on Prime Minister Ardern, Deputy PM Peters and Immigration Minister Galloway to make a considered decision and urges the government to stand by its ethos as a positive force in international relations and sign the Compact” said Pancha Narayanan, National President of Multicultural New Zealand.

It is a good time to remember this: ‘He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai - If kindness is sown, then kindness is what you shall receive’.

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