INSIGHT. ECA-SA launches Study on Impact of Population and Migration on Regional Integration in SADC and COMESA regions. About the ECA-SA Office

Transcription

1 E C A - S A Economic Commission for Africa Issue 6, October 2008 The Economic Commission for Africa, Southern Africa Office () is one of the five ECA subregional offices (SROs) serving as vital links between policy-oriented analytical work generated at headquarters and policy making at the subregional level. The office monitors the evolution of regional integration in support of the African Union Commission s regional integration agenda with a special focus on activities vital to the regional integration process. It seeks to strengthen capacity and provide technical assistance to institutions driving the regional integration agenda most importantly SADC and COMESA. The Office undertakes subregional preparation on programmes addressing Africa s special needs and emerging global challenges such as the MDGs, and spearheads subregional followup of global conferences. The Office also serves as a sub regional hub for the dissemination of ECA s policy analytical work-employing extensive public information and outreach activities including workshops, training and publication of the quarterly newsletter. About the Office Our mission is to facilitate increased contact and collaboration among member States to deepen the process of concerted and collective response for harnessing regional resources to meet Southern Africa s development priorities by conducting research and analysis, and providing policy advice and technical assistance to COMESA/SADC and their memberships. launches Study on Impact of Population and Migration on Regional Integration in SADC and COMESA regions By Mr. Alfred Latigo, Senior Economic Affairs Officer As the SADC and COMESA regions are closely moving towards deeper forms of regional integration current policies, procedures and arrangements on migration and population within and across borders are not clearly understood in relation to their role in regional integration. Currently, economic, rather than social aspects of integration have received more attention. There is therefore need for Member states to pay more attention to the linkage between regional integration and population and migration with the aim of accelerating the process of regional integration towards the common market. At this level of integration, there is free movement of factors of production such as capital and labour across national borders within the integrating areas.

2 2 Issue 6, Oct 2008 In order to respond to these challenges, UN has decided to undertake in September/October 2008, a study that aims to explore the nexus between regional integration and migration and population issues. Thus, the study will analyze the social and economic implications of migration and population on enhancing welfare gains and promoting regional integration in the SADC and COMESA regions. The study will among other areas cover factors influencing population distribution and movement in SADC and COME- SA regions; the social consequences of labour migration in the SADC and COMESA; and policy implications of population and migration as they relate to regional integration. In particular, the study will focus on population distribution and internal movements which include the population age structure, the age groups that are mostly on the move, absolute and relative numbers of migrants as well as employment in the region. It will also identify empirical evidence of the motivators of labour migration as well as the social consequences of labour migration in the SADC and COMESA. The study will use case studies from other regional economic blocs in Africa for purposes of drawing lessons and comparisons. It will consider migration effects on education, human capital (training and retention), health, job c r e - ation, welfare maximization and economic empowerment of women. Xenophobia which has a significant effect on international migration will be briefly examined in view of its role in shaping social and economic development in the region. The study will also underline the importance of population and migration for coordination, collaboration and relations between countries in the regions. It will then attempt to compare the two regions in terms of their population policies, etc. The report of the study will later be presented to a regional workshop on population and migration issues in Johannesburg, South Africa from the 1st through the 3rd December The workshop will bring together a wide spectrum of professionals and policy actors from the SADC and COMESA regions working on population, migration and regional integration issues. The study is part of the UN Multi-Year Programme (MYP) with SADC. In both undertaking the study and organizing the workshop, will work closely with the SADC Secretariat and collaborate with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Recent Events 1. ECA Signs MOU with SADC The Executive Secretary of ECA, His Excellency, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh and the Executive Secretary, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomão signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 16 August 2008, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose of the MOU is to provide a framework for, and facilitate the cooperation between SADC and ECA in addressing regional integration and special needs of Southern Africa as articulated in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (SIPO). The collaboration is based on a long history of support to SADC, in harmonizing policy and programmes of action, providing policy advisory services, and facilitating and serving as convener for policy dialogue. More significant interventions have been in the development of policy frameworks for transport development, mining and gender. However, the recent development is inspired and guided, inter-alia, by the the ECA repositioning process and in line with its mandate to work with the SADC as well as the ongoing UN reforms, the ECA s support to the implementation of AU/NEPAD programmes through the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the Secretary General s report to the General Assembly on enhancing the role of Sub-Regional Offices of the Economic Commission for Africa. Further impetus for strengthening ECA and SADC collaborative relationship also arises from the SADC New Partnership Framework outlined in the Windhoek Declaration, RISDP and SIPO which desire a stronger and more effective collaboration with all stakeholders. The priority areas of cooperation between ECA and SADC include: Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment; Infrastructure and Services; Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources; Social and Human Development; Cross-cutting and Special Programme.

3 2. to work with UN Country Team (UNCT) Madagascar to implement the Madagascar Action Plan (MAP) At the invitation of the Government of Madagascar and the UN Country Team (UNCT) Madagascar, the ECA participated in Antananarivo from 9 12 June 2008 at the Round Table on Madagascar Action Plan (MAP), a road map to achieving poverty reduction through a quantum leap. The ECA Executive Secretary, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh was represented at the meeting by Ms. Jennifer Kargbo, Director of, accompanied by Mr. Alfred Latigo, Senior Economic Affairs Officer. ECA is ready to identify priority areas within the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) that would constitute the basis for collaboration between ECA and the UN system in Madagascar in providing assistance to the Government of Madagascar. In doing so, ECA is guided by the Multi Year Programme (MYP) with SADC- a framework defining broad areas of cooperation aimed at implementing the SADC Regional Integration Strategy and Programme as defined in the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) respectively. UNECA intervention in Madagascar s MAP will be in the context of its obligation to assist member States within SADC and COMESA through its regional integration programme. In this respect, ECA will work with other UN agencies to address the regional dimensions and perspectives of Madagascar s MAP, including the provision of technical assistance and advisory services. The activities among others will include: Mainstreaming regional integration in national development, economic policy analysis, statistics development, gender mainstreaming and ICT for development. 3. discusses Investment Forum with Madagascar Economic Development Board While on a mission to attend the Round Table on Madagascar Action Plan in Antananarivo, Ms. Jennifer Kargbo, Director ECA- SA and Mr. Alfred Latigo held discussions with the Economic Development Board of Madagascar regarding the proposed Investment Forum ECA to be organized in 2009 in Antananarivo on the margins of the AU Summit. The Forum shall comprise four activities: (i) international exhibition focusing on infrastructure, agribusiness, mining and light industry; (ii) business meeting; (iii) international conference; and (iv) gala dinner. While the ECA will provide all round support in organising the Investment Forum, the ECA will direct its collaboration and contribution on the third activity - the international conference drawing significantly on work already programmed in its programme budget, especially in the areas of agribusiness, ICT infrastructure and natural resources development. ECA will undertake to coordinate and synchronize all the above mentioned activities as part of the broader Investment Forum in Madagascar. In doing so, the Commission will provide technical assistance in preparing the background papers and in organizing the International Conference. In this regard, we shall contribute financial resources as well as mobilize other partners such as UNDP, FAO, UNIDO, MIGA,etc for their contributions as well. 4. sets out to establish a Centre for Regional Integration in the Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique In December 2007, the Eduardo Mondlane University requested to provide assistance to its capacity building programme on regional integration and SADC Law. The proposed capacity building Project includes the establishment of a regional centre of excellence for knowledge development and management, research, documentation and reference facilities at the Faculty of Law. Initially the University requested to provide technical assistance in the following areas: (i) participate in the University s first international conference on regional integration; (ii) prepare frameworks for mainstreaming regional integration policies and SADC Law into the National Development Plan of Mozambique; and mainstreaming regional integration into university curriculum; and (iii) develop a knowledge management programme for the university for the university. This component of the project was considered vital by the university for not only establishing its badly needed networking and information sharing with its partner universities and other institutions, but also it would enhance the goal of the university to make it a centre for excellence in regional integration matters. As a follow-up of the above-named technical services, a team of university officials led by Prof. Gilles Cistac, Deputy Dean, Coordinator of the Regional Integration Project and Professor of Law, accompanied by Mr Charles Edward Minega, Research Specialist, SADC Regional 3 Issue 6, Oct 2008

4 4 Issue 6, Oct 2008 Integration Project, Faculty of Law. in principle will continue to assist establish of the centre for regional integration by providing technical assistance on mutually defined terms and arrangements. ECA will also assist towards the Centre by drawing upon its wide network of cooperating partners in fund raising for the activities of the Centre. A number of areas of mutual interest where collaboration can take place between the Centre and among others include a regional integration observatory, knowledge management and publication of an annual report on regional integration. Upcoming Events Experts and Consultative Meetings, and Workshops In the quarter covering October to December 2008, the following activities will be organised 1. Regional Workshop on Population and Migration As SADC prepares to launch its Customs Union (CU) in 2010 some facets of its regional integration agenda such as the social policies, procedures and arrangements are generally not well understood across the region. For instance, population and migration issues and how these can foster regional integration while at the same time maximising welfare gains among the Southern African Development Community (SADC) citizens have not received the attention and prominence they deserve in the official discourse. This situation can be attributed to, inter alia, the current heavy focus on economic aspects of the integration process leaving the social issues at the periphery of the official agenda. There is therefore need for Member states to strike a delicate balance between economic and social aspects of regional integration in order to promote a holistic and comprehensive approach to the process. As an attempt to respond to this gap, the UN Economic Commission for Africa Southern African regional office () through its regional integration and macroeconomic analysis (RIMA) programme and in collaboration with SADC has decided to organise a regional workshop on population and migration issues in Johannesburg, South Africa from 1 December through 3 December This activity is part of s Multi-Year Programme (MYP) with SADC. The workshop will be attended by a broad spectrum of participants from relevant government ministries/departments, civil society organisations, private sector, academic and research institutions, and UN agencies from the region. The overall objective of the workshop is to facilitate a deeper exchange of perspectives, insights and lessons between stakeholders from the SADC regional bloc with regard to the role of population and migration in enhancing integration in the Region. It is expected that the workshop will come up with practical policy recommendations for regional governments on the role of population and migration issues in regional integration within the SADC region. 2. /AU-SARO Water and Sanitation Seminar In partnership with the African Union Southern Africa Regional Office (AU-SARO), will organize a Seminar on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Southern Africa Development: Innovative Approaches for Policy Implementation. The meeting will be held in Lusaka, Zambia towards the end of Pparticipants will be drawn from the governments, Regional Economic Communities (COMESA, SADC, NEPAD, etc), private sector, civil society, and media organisations in Southern Africa. The Heads of State and government of the African Union (AU) at the 11th Ordinary Session held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from 30 June to 1 July 2008, stressed the importance of water and sanitation for sustainable development in Africa. This was in line with other commitments of the continent to the African Water Vision 2025, the Sirte Declaration on Agriculture and Water in Africa; the Declaration on Climate Change in Africa; and the Millennium Development Goal on WASH. Building on this very momentum, this seminar will re-sensitise Southern African countries on the critical issues in WASH and shed more light on ways to overcome them in the subregion. The seminar will aim at increasing the awareness of the people in the urban and rural areas on WASH as important levers for sustainable development. Further, it will build on the existing knowledge in water and sanitation in Southern Africa to ensure that human needs in WASH are satisfactorily met as stipulated in global and regional goals. The seminar will also seek to provide explanations on institutional and resources capacity for program implementation. Finally, the seminar will address related financial issues, development of local

5 financial instruments and markets for investments in the water and sanitation sector, the development of relevant investment plans and the mobilisation of local and external financial resources to finance water and sanitation. Staff Issues Atamelang Ngwako Joins Ms. Atamelang Princess Ngwako joined as an Associate Economic Affairs Officer responsible for assisting in the provision of technical assistance to the SADC/COMESA countries in the development of ICT policies, plans and strategies for their national parliaments. She previously worked for ECA Statistics/ Information Service Division and Information Service Sector from 1989 to 2000 after which she spent time in the private sector in Botswana working in the ICT, research and community on development areas 5 Issue 6, Oct 2008 The Economic Commission for Africa, Southern Africa Office (), launches this quarterly newsletter to connect ideas and information to our constituencies. We sincerely hope you will find the information useful and enjoyable. We encourage you to please contact us for any further information regarding. Sincerely, Jennifer Kargbo Director, For this and other publications, please visit the following address or contact: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Southern Africa Office P.O. Box Lusaka, Zambia Tel.: /5 Fax : / srdcsa.uneca@un.org Web: