IOM Peru this week hosted a group of Andean Community migration data experts focusing on how migration data can influence and promote policies to promote safe and positive migration for the region.

Working with the General Secretariat of the Andean Community, IOM brought together migration data experts, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Secretary General of the Andean Community, Pablo Guzman stressed the importance of migration in the integration process that Andean Community Member States have embarked on. “Our community is committed to upholding free amongst our members, while at the same time placing great emphasis on our citizens’ needs and rights.  We want to ensure that the rights that protect them in their countries of origin will also be upheld in all Andean Community Member states,” says Guzman.

According to estimates provided by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia and Colombia, and figures from Ecuadorian consulates and Peru’s National Statistical Institute, a total of 11,294,786 citizens of these nations are currently residing outside their countries of origin.

José Ivan Dávalos, IOM Chief of Mission in Peru, told participants: “Producing accurate data is a vital piece of the migration puzzle.  IOM is pleased to be taking part in this discussion and will continue to provide its migration expertise to achieve the Andean Community’s migration objectives.”

The meeting, which ends in Lima today, is part of the IOM-funded project: Strengthening Migration Management in the Andean Community.

The Andean Community is a sub-regional international organization that promotes the social and economic integration with four member countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.  Recently, Peru assumed the rotating presidency of the organization with a commitment to revitalize the Andean integration process and to promote the implementation of agreed measures to strengthen it.

For more information please contact

Carolina Santos
IOM Peru
Email: casantos@iom.int
Tel: +51.1.221.7209 Ext. 145
Mobile: + 51 968 216 777