Remarks delivered by Ms. Nomagugu Ncube (Officer-in-Charge, IOM Zambia) on behalf of the IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa

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1 38 th Meeting of the COMESA Intergovernmental Committee Remarks delivered by Ms. Nomagugu Ncube (Officer-in-Charge, IOM Zambia) on behalf of the IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa 9th July 2018, Lusaka, Zambia Chairperson of the Committee Guest of Honour.. Your Excellency Mr. Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General of COMESA Distinguished Delegates and Representatives of COMESA Member States, Representatives of the Government of Zambia hosting this meeting, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, all protocols observed. The International Organization for Migration is honoured to be part of this important Intergovernmental Committee meeting. I would like to thank COMESA for extending invitations to cooperating and technical partners, including IOM, to attend this important meeting. 1

2 As the UN Migration Agency working with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) across Africa, IOM appreciates the role RECs play in advancing the AU Agenda 2063 in particular the regional integration agenda, and indeed in doing so contributing to development agendas across the continent. Moreover, IOM is encouraged to note the increased recognition of the role that migration and the movement of people especially cross-border mobility plays in maximising the potential of development, in the context of regional integration. We are living in an era of unprecedented human mobility in recorded history, and migration has become a critical policy area at the global, continental, regional and national levels. Following the UN General Assembly resolution in 2016, UN Member States agreed on the need to adopt a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in That process is now entering its final stages. As we wait to see the impact of such a framework on migration governance, it is important to firm up regional channels through which all regions of the world can contribute to the global recommendations, and thereafter their implementation. I am pleased to note that the COMESA member states have been well represented through national and regional dialogue, and indeed during the global consultations and negotiations contributing to the GCM that is expected to adopt a set of commitments, principles and understanding to improve global migration governance. 2

3 As the UN migration agency, IOM recognises the potential of regulated and well-managed migration and the contribution it can bring for sustained economic and social development. IOM appreciates the role RECs play in advancing the AU Agenda 2063, in particular the regional integration agenda, and indeed in doing so contributing to development agendas across the continent. To this end, IOM also underscores the importance that the continental wide African Union Free Movement Protocol, and the Africa Free Trade Agreement, which were adopted in Kigali in March this year, play in advancing this agenda. In this regard, IOM wishes to take this opportunity to commend COMESA for its continued efforts to promote the linkage between migration, inter and intra-regional trade and economic integration among its member states through various policies and programs. IOM has had the privilege of working closely with COMESA around these issues since 2003 when the two organizations entered into a Memorandum of Understanding; with COMESA having Observer status in IOM since This partnership has grown over the years with COMESA s various organs, but increasingly building on the important linkages across all areas of COMESA s work. In June 2018 IOM entered into a partnership agreement with COMESA as part of the COMESA Cross Border Trade Initiative: Facilitating small-scale trade across borders, marking the recognition of the importance that cross-border mobility in the context of small-scale cross- 3

4 border trade. This followed the signing of the umbrella agreement between the European Union and COMESA for this programme. IOM s technical support under this programme aims to support an increase in formal small-scale cross-border trade flows in the COMESA/tripartite region. Specifically, IOM will contribute to this broader programme through bringing in its expertise for improved border and migration management, including through capacity building for border officials, data collection and monitoring, and strengthening the understanding between trade, mobility and regional integration. Furthermore, in May this year, IOM in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the COMESA Secretariat successfully hosted the Peer-to-Peer Exchange Meeting on Visas, as part of the ACP- EU Migration Action. This meeting provided an invaluable opportunity for delegates from African, Carribean and EU countries to share experiences and exchange practical solutions to ensure that visa regimes do not present a barrier to development, but rather maximise its benefits. Acknowledging that the liberalization of visa regimes in the COMESA region is the first step towards facilitating free movement of persons in the region, IOM is currently supporting COMESA, through the ACP-EU Migration Action in the development of recommendations for the design and setting-up of an on-line monitoring and reporting system for the implementation of the COMESA Visa Protocol. 4

5 I wish to take this opportunity to emphasise three critical areas that IOM recognises as being central to linkages between migration, trade and regional integration, particularly in the COMESA context: 1. As the Free Movement of persons is inherently linked to the facilitation of trade in the region, IOM recognises the important steps that COMESA and its Member States have taken towards raising awareness on the full implementation of the COMESA Visa Protocol and ratification of the Free Movement Protocol. 2. Understanding that in order to increase trade requires more effective and streamlined procedures to reduce the cost of moving goods and services, COMESAs initiative to move towards an integrated/coordinated border management approach is to be commended as it will facilitate intra, inter and cross border cooperation. 3. Ensuring that adequate information and data is available to inform planning and policy making, and indeed to monitor progress, and provide a strengthened evidence base on the linkages between trade, migration and regional integration. This includes the capture of data on cross-border traders requiring the strengthening of data governance process including human mobility flows captured by border systems. Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to seize this opportunity to express my profound gratitude, on behalf of IOM, to pay a special tribute to His Excellency Sindiso Ngwenya, for the truly excellent partnership, exemplary leadership and continuous support IOM has enjoyed during his tenure as COMESA 5

6 Secretary General. The past ten years have seen our partnership grow from strength to strength, not least with the accession of COMESA into IOM Council as an observer and for the launch of the COMESA Regional Consultative Process on Migration the Migration Dialogue for COMESA (the MIDCOM), which was officially launched in 2013 with support from the IOM Development Fund (IDF). In conclusion, I would like to underscore the value that IOM places on its partnership with COMESA; noting that all the COMESA member states are also IOM member states with an IOM presence and activities in almost all of them. IOM wishes to reiterate its commitment to continue to provide support to COMESA and its member states in furtherance of this important agenda. I thank you for your attention and wish you fruitful deliberations. 6