Trinidad and Tobago - Thirty-one representatives from 17 Caribbean countries and territories gathered in Port-of-Spain in the framework of the Caribbean Migration Consultations – the Caribbean Regional Consultative Process on Migration (RCP) – established in January 2016.

The meeting, supported by IOM and UNHCR, was hosted and led by Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of National Security.

Delegations discussed a strategy to address migration challenges and opportunities under the Caribbean Migration Consultations. As part of this strategy, two thematic networks – on border management and refugee protection – were established during the event.

At future meetings, the participating countries will consider developing new spaces for dialogue on migration data collection, links between migration, environment and climate change, and emergency assistance during disasters, among other issues.

Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews, Chief Immigration Officer of the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago emphasized the importance of regional collaboration to develop common approaches and achieve results that benefit all in the Caribbean.

Robert Natiello, IOM Coordinator for the Caribbean, explained: “By identifying shared interests of their members and enabling states to better understand each other’s perspectives, RCPs promote inter-state dialogue, information-sharing and collaborative migration approaches.”

Participants agreed to create a Regional Technical Network on migrant smuggling, to exchange information on early warnings related to migration flows, and to develop national and regional protocols on smuggling.

The governments represented at the meeting endorsed an IOM proposal to launch an online platform to support the work of the Caribbean Migration Consultations.

The next meeting under the auspices of the new Caribbean regional consultative process will take place in the first semester of 2017.

For further information please contact Jorge Gallo at the IOM Regional Office for Central America, North America and the Caribbean in Costa Rica. Tel: +506 2212.5352 Email: jgallo@iom.int