Type:  Regional Consultative Process on Migration

Region: North and Central America

Established: 1996

Objectives

The RCM is a Regional Consultative Process (RCP), that is voluntary, non-binding and operates by consensus. It provides a space for respectful, frank and honest discussions among Member Countries on regional and international migration, ensuring greater coordination, transparency, and cooperation.

This multilateral forum works to foster regional efforts to strengthen migration governance; protect the human rights of migrants, especially of those in vulnerable situations; promote appropriate linkages between migration and sustainable development; define strategic priorities; and address the main challenges the region faces regarding migration; as well as strengthening, modernizing and managing borders.

Current Thematic Pillars

1. Migration Governance:

  • Generation and use of migration data
  • Integrated border management
  • Addressing extra-regional migration
  • Promoting safe, orderly and regular migration
  • Preventing and countering the smuggling of migrants
  • Preventing and combating trafficking in persons
  • Regularization, visas and travel documentation
  • Return
  • Effective systems of response to emergencies or migratory crises

2. Integration, Migration and its links to development:

  • Labor migration
  • Migration and tourism
  • Economic development and availability of opportunitites in countries of origin
  • Integration and reintegration of migrants
  • Private sector and migration
  • Remittances
  • Diasporas
  • Economic benefits of migration
  • Portability of rights
  • Prevention of xenophobia
  • Interculturality

3. Protection, preparedness, assistance and Irregular Migration

  • Assistance to migrant populations in crisis due to disasters and other situations of vulnerability
  • Consular assistance, care and protection
  • Prevention of irregular migration
  • Mixed migration flows
  • Migration and family
  • Migration and health
  • Migrant women
  • Migrant children and adolescents
  • LGBTI population
  • Attention of people in mass migration flows
  • Building capacity of and increasing access to international refugee / asylum protection systems
  • Statelessness
  • Assistance for persons subject of smuggling of migrants
  • Comprehensive care for victims of human trafficking
  • Effective response systems to emergencies or migratory crises

Chairing country:

  • Current Chair: Belize (2024)
  • Past Chair: Panama (2023)

Secretariat

Executive Secretariat (IOM provides technical cooperation and administrative support)

Members

Member States (11 States)

  • Belize
  • Canada
  • Costa Rica
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • United States

Note: Since its establishment only one new Member State joined the Puebla Process - the Dominican Republic in 1999.

Observers

Observer Countries (5 States):

  • Argentina
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Jamaica
  • Peru

Observer Organizations (13 organizations)

Partners

The Regional Network for Civil Organizations on Migration (RNCOM) [a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from all 11 RCM member States]

Meetings
  • December 5-6, 2024, Belize City, Belize, 29th RCM Vice-Ministerial Meeting
  • December 3-4, 2024, Belize City, Belize, Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM) Meeting
  • October 10-11, 2024, Bogota, Colombia, 5th (V) Plenary Meeting between the RCM and the SACM
  • September 26, 2024, San Salvador, El Salvador, 2nd (II) Forum of GCM Champion Countries in the GCM regional review context
  • July 16-17, 2024, Belize City, Belize, Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM)
  • June 25-26, 2024, San José, Costa Rica, 2nd (II) Regional Meeting for the Strengthening of Local Government Capacities on Migration and Human Mobility
  • December 6 -7, 2023, Panama, Panama, Vice-Ministerial Meeting and transfer of the RCM Chairmanship to Belize
  • December 4 – 5, 2023, Panama, Panama, Meeting of the RCM Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM)
  • November 14-16, 2023, Virtual Event, Biannual meeting of the RCM Working Groups
  • October 17-18, 2023, Panama, Panama, Meeting of Prosecutors' Offices specializing in the investigation and prosecution of migrant smuggling and human trafficking
  • September 27-28, 2023, Panama, Panama, First Regional Forum “Good Practices for the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration” (with the GCM Champion Countries in the Americas)
  • September 7, 2023, Panama, Panama, Meeting of Prosecutors' offices specializing in the investigation and prosecution of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons
  • August 23-24, 2023, Ciudad de Panamá, IV Plenary Meeting RCM-SACM [Joint Communiqué EN ]
  • July 6-7, 2023, Panama, 5th Congress on Women in Migration Context
  • June 6-7, 2023, Panama, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM)
  • May 30-31, 2023, Virtual Event, Biannual meeting of the RCM Working Groups
  • May 17, 2023, Lima, Perú, I Meeting between RCM-SACM Troikas
  • March 9, 2023, Virtual Event, I Meeting between RCM-SACM Chairs and Secretaries
  • January 17, 2023, Virtual Event, Chair’s 2023 Work Plan Validation Meeting
  • December 1-2, 2022, El Salvador, The 27th (XXVII) RCM Vice-Ministerial Meeting
  • November 29-30, 2022, El Salvador, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration
  • July 14-15, 2022, San Salvador, El Salvador, The 4th Regional Congress on Women in Migratory Contexts: “Migrant Women: Agents of their own development, their families and communities”
  • May 31, 2022, Virtual Event, 3rd Plenary Meeting Between the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) and the South American Conference on Migration (SACM)
  • May 19, 2022, Virtual Event, “Defining regional priorities and sharing best practices – an innovative approach to migration governance in Central America, North America, and the Caribbean”. Side event at the 1st International Migration Review Forum (IMRF)
  • April 1, 2022, Mexico City, Mexico, 2nd Preparatory Workshop for the 2022 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) “The RCM and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration”
  • December 2-3, 2021, Mexico City, Mexico, Vice-Ministerial Meeting
  • December 1, 2021, Mexico City, Mexico, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM)
  • September 23-24, 2021, Virtual Event, 3rd Regional Congress on Women in Migration Context
  • September 9-10, 2021, Virtual Event, Bi-regional Plenary Meeting between RCM and SACM
  • August 24-25, 2021, Virtual Event, Regional Conference on Migration and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
  • July 29-30, 2021, Puebla, Mexico and Virtual Meeting, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM) and 25th Anniversary of RCM
  • December 3-4, 2020, Virtual event, XXV RCM: RGCM and Viceministerial Meeting
  • December 2, 2020, Virtual event, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM)
  • November 16-17, 2020, Virtual event, Webinar series: Characteristics, best practices, preparation and approach of intra-regional massive flows
  • November 9, 2020, Virtual event, Webinar on protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH) for institutions and organization that provide humanitarian assistance and protection
  • October 26, 2020, Virtual event, Event on the Best Interest Determination of Girls, Boys and Adolescent Migrants, Refugees, and those with Protection Needs
  • October 14, 2020, Virtual event, Round table of RCM Member Countries on migration during COVID-19
  • October 6-7, 2020, San Jose, Costa Rica, Workshop on Refugees and MIRPS
  • September 30, 2020, San Jose, Costa Rica, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (GRCM)
  • September 2, 2020, Virtual event, Virtual conference cycle: Labor Migration and Economic Recovery: Contributions from Businesses and Governments
  • August 12, 2020, Virtual event, Training Program on Migration Policies 
  • June 24, 2020, Virtual event, Event on the Best Interest Determination of Girls, Boys and Adolescent Migrants, Refugees, and those with Protection Needs
  • June 4, June 11, June 18, July 3, 2020, Virtual event, Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) Online Regional Consultation of the Global Forum on Migration and Development
  • March 24, April 29, May 20, June 24, 2020, Virtual event, Workshop “Best Interest Determination of Migrant and Refugee Boys, Girls and Adolescents”
  • January 27-30, 2020, Virtual event, Meetings on RCM Working Groups
  • December 3-5, 2019, San José, Costa Rica, Second Congress on Women in Migration: Gender, Human Rights, and Empowerment. Challenges and Perspectives
  • November 13 - 14, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, XXIV Vice-Ministerial Meeting ( Charter
  • November 12 - 13, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration
  • October 22 - 23, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Workshop to homologate the best practices of consulates and ministries of foreign affairs in the search for missing migrants within the framework of the Regional Conference on Migration
  • October 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala (TBC), Bi-Regional Plenary Meeting RCM - SACM
  • October 2019, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Workshop on Migrant Boys, Girls, and Adolescents
  • October 22 - 23, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Workshop to homologate the best practices of consulates and ministries of foreign affairs in the search for missing migrants within the framework of the Regional Conference on Migration
  • September 3 - 5, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Regional Workshop on Labor Migration
  • August 21 - 22, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Workshop “The key role of coordination and knowledge management for the humanitarian assistance of migrants in disaster situations”
  • June 25-26, 2019, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM) ( Strategic Plan )
  • June 5, 2019, Mexico City, Mexico, Follow -up Workshop: Counter-Smuggling Work Plan of the RCM
  • March 7, 2019, San Jose, Costa Rica, II Migration Health Workshop
  • August 29, 2018, Panama City, Panama, Development of lines of action of the RCM to mainstream migration into the 2030 Agenda
  • July 20, 2018, Panama, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM) ( Conclusions )
  • June 25-26, 2018, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration ( Conclusions )
  • June 7, 2018, Mexico City, Mexico, Workshop on prevention and assistance to displaced people and migrants across borders within the context of disasters
  • May 23, 2018, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Workshop on the return, reception and reintegration of migrant and refugee boys, girls and adolescents
  • May 9 , 2018, Montevideo, Uruguay, Plenary Meeting of the RCM and the SACM
  • April 26, 2018, Panama City, Panama, Workshop on Consular Protection for Migrant Workers
  • September 5, 2018, Mexico City, Mexico, Regional workshop on labor migration governance
  • November 27-30, 2017, El Salvador, XXII Regional Conference on Migration.
  • September 19-20, 2017, El Salvador, Workshop for the Validation of the document on Protection and assistance to migrant women.
  • August 8-9, 2017, San José, Capacity building workshop on disaster displacement, migration and climate change for RCM Member Countries.
  • July 17-18, 2017, Mexico, Workshop on Passport Integrity.
  • July 12, 2017, San José, Meeting with Observer Organizations of the RCM.
  • July 6-7, 2017, Mexico, Fourth Meeting of the Ad-Hoc Group on Extra-regional Migrants.
  • June 29, 2017, Berlin, Work Meeting of the RCM and the SACM to develop Bi-regional Inputs concerning the Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration (GCM) and Follow Up on the Efforts Relating to Extra-Regional Migrants.
  • June 20-22, 2017, El Salvador, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration.
  • June 19-20, 2017, San Salvador, Workshop “Child's Best Interest and Sexual Gender-Based Violence case management in migration and refugee contexts:“ Protecting Girls in the RCM Member Countries ””.
  • June 8, 2017, Panama, Meeting of the Ad-Hoc Group for the elaboration of bi-regional inputs for the Global Compact.
  • April 4, 2017, Washington DC, Regional Event to formalize the adoption of the campaing #DeadlyBusiness.
  • March 30, 2017, Washington DC, Meeting of the Troikas of the Regional Conference on Migration and the South American Conference on Migration to develop a common position towards the negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
  • March 29, 2017, Washington DC, Meeting of the Regional Conference on Migration to define guidelines for a regional position towards the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
  • March 16-17, 2017, Honduras, First Meeting Liaison Officer Network for the protection of Migrant Boys, Girls and Teenagers.
  • February 20, 2017, Virtual Workshop for dialogue and consultation on best practices in systems / platforms for registration of consular actions and cases of consular protection for their nationals abroad.
  • February 1-2, 2017, Costa Rica, Regional Training Workshop: Protecting Nationals Abroad Affected by Crisis.
  • November 15-18, 2016, Honduras, XXI Regional Conference on Migration.
  • November 9-12, 2015, Mexico, XX Regional Conference on Migration.
  • July 14-16, 2015, Mexico, Seminar-Workshop “Closing the gaps: Regional Seminar on Strategies to promote the Integration and the Reinsertion of Migrant People” and Dialogue of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM).
  • June 24-27, 2014, - XIX Meeting, Managua, Nicaragua (Special Declaration (EN , ES ), Declaration ( EN , ES ), IOM Director General's Remarks ).
  • June 24-25, 2014, Managua, Nicaragua, Meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration .
  • November, 2013, San José, Costa Rica, Regional Consultation Group on Migration (RCGM).
  • September 17-18, 2013, Costa Rica, Regional Workshop on Policies, Practices and Conclusions for the Return, Reintegration and Integration of Migrants.
  • June 25-28, 2013, San José, Costa Rica, XVIII Regional Conference on Migration (first regular meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration, RCGM, and Vice-ministerial meeting).
  • November 19-23, 2012, RGCM Meeting .
  • June 18-22, 2012, Panama, XVII Regional Conference on Migration RCM Meeting (first regular meeting of the Regional Consultation Group on Migration, RCGM and Vice-ministerial meeting) .
Documents

The RCM develops documents such as Declarations, Guidelines, Mechanisms, Protocols, Proceedings, Indicators, etc. Major RCM documents are listed below, more documents are available on RCM website (https://crmsv.org/en/publicaciones)

Declarations

Communicating Seal

  • 2002 Antigua [ EN ]
  • 2001 San Jose [ EN ]
  • 2000 Washington [ EN ]
  • 1999 San Salvador [ EN ]
  • 1998 Ottawa [ EN ]
  • 1997 Panama [ EN ]
  • 1996 Regional Conference on Migration [ EN ]

Publications

Contact Information

Executive Secretariat of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM)
Edificio Sabana Business Center, Piso 7, Boulevard Ernesto Rohrmoser
San José, Costa Rica
E-mail: crmst@iom.int
 

Website:
https://crmsv.org/es (Spanish)
https://crmsv.org/en (English)
 

Social Media:
Youtube

 

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