The first ever ministerial-level Migration Dialogue for Southern
Africa (MIDSA) ended this week in Namibia with key recommendations
for managing migration through regional cooperation.

The recommendations included agreement on strengthening
coordination among Southern African states on managing migration;
encouraging ratification of the Protocol on the Facilitation of the
Movement of Persons aimed at eliminating obstacles to the free
movement of people in Southern African Development Community (SADC)
countries; promoting legal labour mobility and opportunities;
raising public awareness regarding the risks of irregular migration
and engaging diasporas in national development strategies.

Participants noted that improving the collection, analysis,
dissemination and harmonization of migration data was essential to
enhancing migration management processes and that ensuring
application of this data at the policy level will require
significant capacity building efforts at the national and regional
levels.

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, attending the
conference, emphasized that managing migration "…requires a
paradigm shift away from viewing migration as a negative phenomenon
to be combated, to a positive process that can lead to the
development of the national and regional economy."

Among the participants was IOM Director General William Lacy
Swing, who told ministers and officials present that: "IOM will
continue to pursue the integration of MIDSA recommendations into
SADC fora and programmes. Beyond this, IOM stands ready to assist
in taking this consultative process forward in whatever capacity
member states shall entrust to us or consider to be
appropriate."

The MIDSA forum was established by SADC Member States in 2000
with the assistance of IOM and other international partners, to
support mechanisms for regional migration and cross-border
cooperation.

The MIDSA conference for Permanent Secretaries and Senior
Officials will be held annually with a Ministerial level conference
to be held every other year.

For more information, contact:

Puseletso Mompei

Cell: +27 7168 999 66

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