Chile - IOM Director General William Lacy Swing met this week with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and congratulated her on Chile’s intention to receive Syrian refuges in the country.

The meeting was part of an official visit to open the XV South American Conference on Migration (SACM) – the main regional forum for consultation and non-binding governmental dialogue on migration matters. Chile holds the pro tempore Presidency of the SACM this year.

The meeting, which was attended by representatives of governments, civil society and international organizations, is part of the RCM or Puebla Process, created in 1996 to coordinate and create initiatives and programs to promote and develop policies on international migration, regional development and integration in the Americas.

In his opening speech, Ambassador Swing invited the audience to reflect on what is happening in relation to migration in the world, highlighting that ‘the priority is to save lives.’ “Further large-scale human mobility in the decades ahead is inevitable, necessary and desirable,” he added.

Ambassador Swing also inaugurated an event on Migration and Cities organized by the IOM Mission in Chile, with the participation of the Director of Consular Affairs and Immigration, Ambassador Alejandro Marisio and the mayors of the districts of Quilicura, Juan Carrasco Contreras; and Providencia, Maria Josefa Errázuriz.

Speaking about the growing importance of addressing the issue of migration and cities, Swing said: “We must not forget the significant contribution of migrants to economic, social and cultural development in their origin and host countries.” He also stressed the need for migrants to be the center of national, global migration and development agendas.

He also paid tribute to the Chilean Presidency and representatives of the international community that helped Chilean refugees during the Pinochet dictatorship. The Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICEM – today IOM) facilitated the departure of 35,000 refugees.

For more information please contact Juliana Quintero at IOM Buenos Aires, Email: juquintero@iom.int, Tel: +54 1132488134.