I would like to begin by welcoming you all to the launch of the
Pan-European Process on Migration Management (Vienna Process). This
Process aims at developing a Pan-European framework for dialogue
and action in the sphere of migration. In doing so, the Process
holds the promise of profoundly and positively transforming the
nature and degree of intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation
with a view to developing genuine partnerships in migration
management among EU Member States, European Neighbourhood
countries, states in the wider European region and pertinent
international organisations operating in the region with an
interest in migration issues, such as the OSCE. But whether or not
this promise will be realized is up to all of us.



We have an important opportunity here, both in the coming days and
the coming years, to further develop the area of freedom, security
and justice and move closer towards the goal of peace and
prosperity in the EU and its neighbouring countries. In doing so,
we will lay the foundation for integrating migration firmly into
the EU’s external relations policy and will work toward the
development of a common agenda for countries of origin, transit and
destination.



Allow me to spend just a moment putting our discussion and this
event into the global context. Let me remind you that many of your
migration-related concerns are shared by states around the world.
Ageing and shrinking populations in much of the developed world,
and in Europe in particular, stand in sharp contrast to the
situation in most of the developing countries with young and
growing populations. These trends, together with the forces of
globalization, suggest that the world will continue in the same
direction - the direction of more mobility. But whether it will
mean more unregulated migration with all the associated adverse
effects and security challenges, or migration channelled into safe,
orderly, humane and productive avenues that will benefit all,
depends on us.



In opening this conference, let me call attention to a few key
issues for our close consideration at this gathering and in the
coming years:



Security will remain high on the European agenda including in the
context of the movement of people. Growing mobility increasingly
extends the scope of security concerns beyond national borders.
Addressing modern security challenges, such as terrorism and
organized crime, trafficking in persons and smuggling of human
beings requires a broader concept of security based on promoting
development, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.



Another issue which is increasingly raised in the context of
mobility and is closely linked to security is public health. Border
management can no longer focus solely on migrant identification and
screening of documents. If we are to prevent the pandemic spread of
infectious diseases and other health hazards, it is necessary to
incorporate health into the border management as well as the
broader migration management context. In doing so, migrants’
needs should not be forgotten - ensuring that migrants have access
to adequate health services is a humanitarian as well as public
health safety issue. The development of health modules for the
border management programme currently undertaken by IOM in
cooperation with the EU is a step in the right direction.



Migration has implications not only for security and economic
stability, but also for social, political and human development,
implicating such related policy matters as trade, employment,
health and human rights. Ensuring that migration policy development
takes account of and is integrated into policy planning in these
related fields is essential for the development of the area of
freedom, security and justice and realizing the aim of prosperity
and stability in Europe.



It is clear that migration is not a panacea to the demographic and
related economic and social problems Europe and the majority of
other industrialized countries are facing, nor the solution to the
growth and development challenges of the developing countries. The
international mobility of persons presents both costs and benefits
to countries of destination, origin and transit, and migrants
themselves. However, effectively, coherently and humanely managed
migration can be an important tool in addressing the pressing
challenges of both the developed and developing worlds.



In 2006, there will be more international focus on migration than
ever before - it is a mark of the growing acknowledgement by states
and other stakeholders of the challenges and opportunities
presented by international migration. At the global level, the
United Nations General Assembly will hold a High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development in September 2006.



In March of this year, the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium and
IOM will jointly hold a Conference on Migration and Development,
with the support of the European Commission and the World Bank.
This conference represents a step forward in the search for ways to
harness the development potential of migration, in the interest of
economic growth and stability worldwide.



How can we meet the growing global challenges of migration
management in today's increasingly inter-connected world?
Cooperation is the keyword. Inter-state cooperation lies at the
heart of this issue. Migration as a transnational phenomenon cannot
be managed effectively in the long term through national measures
alone. Cooperative multilateral approaches are necessary.



The increasing global and regional focus on migration reflects the
growing recognition that development of effective and coherent
migration management policies requires collective efforts of
states. IOM strongly supports bilateral and multilateral
initiatives geared towards creating broader consensus on migration
practices, approaches and systems, as well as greater alignment of
the levels of national capacities to manage migration.



Regional cooperation is one of the most effective ways to work
towards achieving greater coherence on migration policy on the
regional as well as national levels. By bringing together countries
along the whole migration continuum - countries of origin, transit
and destination - regional cooperation fosters development of
holistic approaches to migration management, the identification of
effective solutions to challenges of migration and ways to realize
its potential. The growth of Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs)
on migration in the past decade is emblematic of the need for and
benefits of regional dialogue and cooperation. IOM is actively
involved in promoting regional cooperation on migration including
through initiation and facilitation of regional dialogues.



The achievements of the Tampere Agenda and the establishment of the
Hague Programme as well as the efforts towards the development of a
Common Immigration and Asylum Policy have led the EU Member States
beyond regional dialogue towards regional harmonization of national
migration policies and legislation. The EU has also made great
advances in terms of regional cooperation within the broader
European context. A number of regional and sub-regional processes,
such as the Söderköping process, the 5+5 Dialogue on
Migration in the Western Mediterranean and the Salzburg Forum,
launched by the EU Member States and supported by IOM form a useful
framework for informal dialogue, exchange of information, analysis
of migration-related topics and capacity building in the region.




The time has now come for the EU to take the lead in deepening the
dialogue among the EU, its neighbouring states, the Russian
Federation and the Stabilization and Association Process Countries
- to develop a common Pan-European platform for action-oriented
discussion focussed on migration management. The Pan-European
Process on Migration Management (Vienna Process), which is being
launched today, can offer the ideal setting for discussing
migration related issues using a cross-cutting approach with a view
to finding common approaches to fundamental issues at both policy
and operational levels. IOM welcomes and fully supports the
initiative of the Austrian government of accentuating the external
dimension of migration policy in the Hague Programme in relation to
the New Neighbourhood/ENP.



This Brussels conference is the beginning of a continuous dialogue
at the European level that IOM intends to promote in close
cooperation with EU Member States, EU Institutions, European
Neighbouring countries, Russia and the Stabilization and
Association Process Countries. This Conference will be followed by
a second Ministerial Conference taking place in Vienna in May 2006,
organized by the Austrian EU Presidency in cooperation with IOM.
The Vienna Conference will take stock of the results and
recommendations of this gathering. The outcome of the Vienna
process will be the adoption of the Vienna Declaration, which will
constitute a comprehensive framework giving new operational impetus
to the EU strategy on migration and security in its relations with
neighbouring states.



In the coming years, IOM will continue working closely with the EU
and its neighbours with the aim of advancing understanding of
migration issues, encouraging social and economic development
through migration, discouraging irregular migration and the
insecurity and criminal activity often associated with it and
upholding the human dignity and well-being of migrants.



Overall, the Vienna Process is the first step in a journey towards
enhanced regional cooperation and towards devising clear and
effective measures to guide European migration and security policy
to ensure peace, stability and prosperity for all citizens in the
EU Member States, their neighbours and in the wider Europe.