Discussing migration means first coming to grips with its complex
and multifarious nature. It cannot be managed simply in the
framework of national policies, however effective they may be.

Migration flows are increasingly taking the form of temporary or
circular migration for work purposes, although other more permanent
forms do persist.

These flows can be beneficial to the development and growth of
both countries of origin and of destination, to the world economy
and to the migrants themselves, if all their components are
analysed together and on a transregional basis. The skills of
migrants, their financial resources and the diaspora networks are
potential sources of considerable leverage for communities of
origin, and are undeniable assets for host countries as well.

Moreover, irregular migration is of concern to all African and
European countries when it comes to controlling and managing the
flows. Their impact can be tragic, whether owing to the risks
emanating from the activities of international criminal networks to
which the most vulnerable often fall victim, or on account of the
conditions of travel, whatever the means of transport and the route
chosen.

The aim of this Conference that has brought us together here on
Moroccan territory is precisely to forge a clearer link between all
the components of national, regional and continental migration
policies, and development issues. This will call for coherence of
action that is still largely lacking given the transversal nature
of migration and the absence of appropriate coordinative structures
in many countries.

Significant initiatives and political decisions have recently
been taken in that regard in the African continent and they merit
the support of development partners, given their diversity and
complementarity. In particular, that would imply the systematic
incorporation of migration issues into the Poverty Reduction
Strategy Papers, which form the reference framework for exchanges
between Governments and bilateral and multilateral cooperation
programmes.

Action in the field is our common priority, and it is urgent for
us together to progress beyond an approach based on sectoral
projects that address one specific aspect of migration management
or a limited geographical area, toward a global programmatic
approach that encompasses the various fields of possible action,
and is commensurate with the complexity of the routes and patterns
of migration.

That will be the major challenge in the follow up of this
Ministerial Conference, which is a crucial juncture for the three
groups of countries concerned, in sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb
and in Europe.

But we will undoubtedly need to start by agreeing on the
objectives, and we must not be afraid of words: it is just as
important to suggest cooperation priorities that ensure better
local development in countries of origin and improved utilisation
of inputs from the diaspora, as it is to guarantee observance of
sovereign rules established by States to govern the entry and stay
of foreigners on their territory.

Countering irregular migration and its networks, especially
through targeted information campaigns in regions of high
out-migration, should go hand-in-hand with promoting possibilities
for regular migration. This applies to the movement of persons
whether in the short-term, as foreseen in the General Agreement on
Trade in Services (GATS), the medium-term as in the case of
students, or in the longer term as in the case of persons admitted
for the purposes of family reunification, for example.

It is therefore necessary to build the capacities of African
countries in the various fields related to migration management,
and this should be approached both by adapting initial training
courses at universities and professional schools, and by organising
ad hoc technical training programmes for the various players
responsible for these matters, in line with priorities set by
States or by Regional Economic Communities.

That will undoubtedly make for a better grasp of the challenges
posed by the movement of skills, which is surely a more exact
designation than "the brain drain", if African migrants are to
contribute to the development of their country of origin, along the
lines of several programmes already under way, such as the MIDA
programme (Migration for Development in Africa) in Ghana, Senegal
and the Great Lakes region.

Furthermore, that will help solve the problems now stemming from
the upsurge in transit migration between south Asia, sub-Saharan
Africa and the Maghreb, with its sequel of human tragedies in
desert areas or on the seas and oceans resulting from desperate
attempts by people whose watchword is "Europe or death".

In line with the global mandate enshrined in our constitution,
IOM is highly active in these various fields and in other technical
aspects of migration management. On the basis of our concrete field
experience, we have drafted a discussion paper that strives to lay
out an integrated and coherent operational programme, and I shall
be submitting it to you for study.

Maintaining the register of common opportunities is undoubtedly
more complex than that of conditionalities, but the exchanges it
entails are per se a guarantee of greater success. Wherever there
are ongoing regional consultation processes on migration, the
resulting changes of mentality and the sharing of information and
experiences are making it possible to improve on national laws and
regulations. In addition, they are helping to foster a social and
economic climate favourable to investment in human capital and to
the creation of job and income-generating enterprises, in keeping
with timetables and modalities proper to each case.

We are at a seminal moment in a continuum, and I believe that we
bear a weighty responsibility. The Brussels Conference in February
as well as last week's meeting in Turin were milestones on the way
to the first High-Level Dialogue scheduled for September at the
United Nations on this same topic of "Migration and
Development".

It is my view that like other initiatives, this Euro-African
Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development must make a
tangible contribution to that Dialogue, as the Action Plan that has
been discussed by the countries and the concerned regional bodies
with their partners amply illustrates the role of interregional
dialogue in setting up practical cooperation mechanisms.