GFMD Regional Workshop: Facilitating social and economic inclusion

The European Union is supporting the Ecuadorian Chairmanship of the 2019 Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) through the MIgration EU eXpertise (MIEUX) Initiative, implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in hosting a series of four regional roundtables ahead of the Quito Summit to be held in November 2019. The workshops respond to one of the priorities expressed by the Ecuadorian GFMD Chairmanship to engage regional stakeholders in meaningful dialogue ahead of the Quito Summit in November 2019.

This first workshop focused on the topic of facilitating social and economic inclusion, as reflected in one of the priority areas of Ecuador’s Presidency of the GFMD. Around 60 persons attended the event, all of them pertinent stakeholders in several Latin American and Caribbean countries and other regions, whose discussions, conclusions and good practices are expected to have a global reach.

Ambassador Santiago Chavez Pareja, Chairman of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, welcomed those present: Mrs. Birgit Vleugels, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation in Costa Rica and Mr. Oleg Chirita, Global Initiatives Head of Programme at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

Contributions were requested to supplement the contents of round table 1.2 "Facilitating social and economic inclusion" held by the GFMD and co-chaired by Norway and Thailand, which seeks to cover experiences and good practices in addressing the challenges and opportunities of the settlement process, including underlying issues such as adequate housing, healthcare and education, access to work and means of subsistence, and assistance in promoting social cohesion, preventing discrimination and xenophobia, and addressing exploitation issues. Speakers were invited to address the issue of social and economic inclusion from a cross-cutting perspective, drawing on the experiences and good practices contained in previous publications, and with an eye to forthcoming discussions that will be had during the Quito Summit.

The full summary report of the workshop is available here.