Officials from the 11 countries that make up the Regional
Conference on Migration (RCM) are meeting this week in the resort
town of Tela, Honduras to discuss migration-related issues of
concern to all participants.

Since the creation of the RCM, also knows as the Puebla Process,
in Puebla Mexico in 1996, officials from Belize, Canada, Costa
Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and the United States, as well as
observers from international organizations and civil society, meet
on a yearly basis to discuss migration issues of common
concern.

During the three-day meeting ending today, vice ministers of
foreign affairs and interior, and senior migration officials
exchange information, share experiences and best practices, and
carry out consultations to promote regional cooperation on
migration issues.

Participants are reviewing a regional plan of action that
includes migrants' rights, irregular migration, trafficking, the
right of return for migrants wishing to return to their countries
of origin, strengthening capacity building and border management,
and reinforcing the collection of data on migration.

In 2007, Honduras became President Pro Tempore of the RCM and
put forth this year's theme "Migration and Human Rights". 
Other issues put forth by the Honduran government included consular
protection, combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking, and
strengthening existing cooperation amongst governments and civil
society.

The RCM was created following the Tuxtla Presidential Summit
held in February 1996, which accorded special significance to
aspects of migration within the framework of economic and social
development for the region.  The RCM, informally known as the
Puebla Process, is an inter-governmental regional migration forum,
in which participating countries discuss migration trends and
realities and seek common ground.  The first meeting of the
RCM took place in Puebla, Mexico in March 1996. 

IOM provides technical and logistical support, and receives
overall policy direction and supervision from the incumbent
Presidency Pro-Tempore to follow up on the mandates and
instructions issued after each RCM meeting.  IOM also
implements projects related to migrant smuggling and human
trafficking and provides return assistance to vulnerable migrants
on behalf of RCM member countries.

For information on the Regional Conference on Migration, please
visit their website: "http://www.rcmvs.org/" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.rcmvs.org/

For more information please contact:

Saul Ronquillo

IOM San José

Tel: +506-221-5348

E-mail: "mailto:sronquillo@iom.int">sronquillo@iom.int