Honorable Mr. MENG Hongwei, Vice Minister, Ministry of Public Security,
Mr. ZHENG Baigang, Director General, Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration, Ministry of Public Security,
Representatives from the Immigration Department of Hong Kong Special Administration of People’s Republic of China,
Senior Delegates from around the world as well as from within People’s Republic of China,
Your Excellences,  Representatives from Diplomatic Missions,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour and pleasure to be with you here in Shanghai for this International Conference.  This conference, to my knowledge, is one of the first of its kind in the migration field hosted by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.  The objective of an international forum such as this one is to share information, to enhance our joint capacity and to strengthen our common network. That this forum is gathered here today, with such broad representation, is eloquent testimony to the great interest of all governments around the globe in migration.

It is particularly fitting that such an important international conference should be held here in the great cosmopolitan city of Shanghai - with its large population, and its global influence on commerce, culture, finance, fashion, technology and transport.

I wish to congratulate Vice-Minister MENG Hongwei, Vice Minister for Public Security, for the initiative of convening and hosting today’s meeting  - the first international conference on migration hosted by the Government of China here in Shanghai.  Let me also use this occasion to compliment the Ministry of Public Security on the e-passport, the National Plan of Action on Human Trafficking, and the new Exit/Entry Administration Law which comes into effect in July 2013.

This forum will offer a platform, from both policy and operational perspectives, to exchange information, share ideas and experience and promote effective country practices related to migration management.

Further, this meeting aims at finding ways to facilitate the movement of migrants between different countries, including through the application of new technologies. 

Importantly, the conference will also examine ways to prevent irregular migration.

All these issues are fundamental to managing today’s global migration and movement patterns. I am looking forward to your active participation in discussing this broad range of migration management issues over the next two days.  

IOM is honoured to be a co-organizer of this international conference. I believe this is a recognition and manifestation of our close collaboration.  I wish to express our profound appreciation to our host, Minister MENG Hongwei and the Exit and Entry Administration, Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, for taking the initiative.  Thank you for having welcomed us as a partner in this important event. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize and applaud China’s important role as a major player in world migration.  Not only is China the world’s most populous nation, China is also a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants.

Introduction

Over these two days, we will be discussing three main issues:  (1) how to establish a convenient environment for exit and entry; (2) how to effectively combat irregular migration;  (3) how to enhance the exchange of information and data.  These issues are critical to managing migration in a century that is already bearing witness to the greatest human mobility in recorded history.

We live in a world on the move.  We live in an era of unprecedented human mobility.  Today, there are nearly 1 billion migrants in the world – one in every 7 people – 214 million are international migrants, and 740 million – whereof over 230 million in China alone are internal migrants  -  a number equivalent to the total of all international migrants. During the next three decades,  -- by 2050  --  we expect the number of international migrants to double to 405 million.    Europe alone will need 50 million migrants in 2040 to fill its workplaces.  Large-scale migration is therefore a reality that neither the current global economic downturn, nor restrictive security measures can halt, or even slow down.

However, what we can do is to establish effective migration and border management systems.  The objective is to (1) facilitate bona fide travellers by providing a welcoming and efficient gateway to each country, while (2) providing a barrier and disincentive to entry for those seeking to circumvent migration laws.

These two objectives will maximize the benefits of managed temporary and permanent migration, while at the same time protecting states from unauthorized entries. The key operational components of an effective border management system are interconnected - and preferably automated - sub-systems that will include trained personnel, an audit capability, inter-agency and international cooperation, and strategic partnerships with carriers and industry.

We can conclude from this global phenomenon that (a) migration is assuming greater policy and strategic significance for States; (b) migration will remain a “megatrend” of the twenty-first century; (c) if managed intelligently and humanely, migration will bring benefits to both sending and receiving countries, as well as migrants themselves.

That is the context in which our deliberations take place.

With this introduction, I would like to underline and highlight three points  -  three challenges we face.

I.  The First Challenge:  Balancing Facilitation and Control of Border Management - how to establish a convenient environment for exit and entry

An effective border management system is to balance facilitation and control of movement.  (In a broader policy context, the challenge of an effective border management system is how to balance national sovereignty and individual freedom.) While this usually takes place at the physical point of entry, it is increasingly being extended and, in effect, relocating the “border” to points of embarkation.

In pursuit of a balanced approach, measures are being widely adopted to improve the integrity of security features in identification and travel documents, and to develop new ways of recording and verifying travellers’ and migrants’ identities. A number of countries are planning to introduce, or have already introduced, national identity cards and other means of identification that incorporate special electronically readable codes and that are more resistant to forgery. This can assure greater certainty when identifying an individual and confirming that he or she is the genuine holder of the card. Part of this process involves the use of technology allowing identification through biometrics— unique personal data such as facial structure, hand geometry, fingerprints or the patterns of the human eye—to authenticate the identity of individuals. These approaches will serve to both facilitate and control entry.

I would like in particular to highlight the importance of working together in strategic partnerships to address the formidable challenges confronting migration and border management. In this regard, we will for example continue to look at our strategic partners – such as ASEAN - with whom we are working on a number of border management reforms, including the addition of specific watch-listing technology at ASEAN member states’ borders.

Greater collaboration is needed among countries and regions in addressing some of the overarching migration challenges which we face. The so-called Regional Consultative Processes (RCP) such as the Bali Process and Colombo Process in Asia are one response to international migration’s growing complexity and diversity.  The emergence of these regional dialogues attests to the importance that governments attach to a regional approach to migration management. Governments recognize increasingly that the majority of migration today occurs on regional basis, on the same continent, rather than inter-continentally.     

II.  The second challenge is how to combat Irregular Migration effectively

Historically, migration has been overwhelmingly positive. Migrants have contributed significantly to the development of societies. However, (1) the continuous flow of migrants in an irregular situation;  (2) their vulnerability to exploitation; and (3) the association of irregular migration with smuggling and trafficking networks are persistent issues of global concern.

Understandably, irregular migration is an area that concerns governments worldwide, a perspective focused exclusively or primarily on irregular migration can obscure the broader picture in which properly managed migration can bring benefits both to migrants and societies. A tighter immigration system is part of a legitimate response by States to irregular migration, but the effect may be to push more people into the hands of criminal groups in order to realize their migration objectives.

Once trapped in an irregular migration context, migrants are frequently subjected to gross abuse and exploitation for profit. Human trafficking, for example, is the 3rd most profitable criminal enterprise, generating annual revenues of approximately US$32 billion. These profits are often used to corrupt state institutions, and finance other illegal activities that further undermine national security.

Irregular migration occurs outside the rules of the orderly international movement of people. Irregular migration has several forms, and the distinctions between them, as well as the overlaps, are important for policy makers and practitioners.

Many labour markets in destination countries clearly allow for the absorption of large numbers of migrants in an irregular situation;  this acts as a pull factor, notwithstanding governmental migration management measures.  (The availability of jobs with better wages and of employers willing to hire irregular workers are significant pull factors. When the procurement or retention of this illegal employment is an organized act by a group, it may be considered an act of smuggling.)

Economic, social, trade, labour, cultural, security, health and development policy areas must be related to each other in order to effectively address the issue of irregular migration.  Partnerships are essential for developing effective policies to address irregular migration. Such partnerships would not only allow for legitimate channels of migration but also for return arrangements, which would facilitate the safe and dignified return of unauthorized migrants.

In addition, two major challenges to contemporary migration management are found in the organized (1) large scale smuggling of migrants, and (2) in the coercive and exploitative trafficking in persons. While both crimes may involve a facilitated irregular border crossing, and result in the abuse of migrants, human traffickers also use regular migration channels to facilitate the exploitation of their victims, or traffic their victims within the borders of a single state.  Understanding these differences is important to identifying the most effective responses to prevent the crime, protect its victims, and prosecute its perpetrators.

The campaign against irregular migration takes place within a broader context of migration management that can strengthen and focus on protection and human rights efforts for those truly in need, while at the same time expanding efforts to improve legal opportunities for immigration, primarily through regulated labour programmes.

III.  The third challenge is  how to improve the effectivenesss of technology and data exchange in Border Management.

Thirdly, an effective and efficient border management system is one that processes bona fide passengers with minimal delay and ensures that passengers without authorization are denied entry. There are a number of key tasks that need to be carried out at the border. The key components of this ideal operational framework for border management are data, technology, trained personnel, anti-fraud and audit capability, and strategic partnerships. The important points that follow look at each of these in more detail.

Clearly, this level of technological support will not be financially feasible or sustainable by many States, especially those that are facing serious policy choices within their expenditure framework. This has highlighted the need for focused collaboration between States to develop the technological capacity required to benefit all.

Technology can improve effective border management processes, but it is not a substitute for appropriate legislation, well-designed procedures, and trained and experienced staff who can perform the key functions.

Data is used to describe, reflect, and draw a better understanding of migration trends and to make more informed policy decisions relating to all facets of migration. Raw data are collected, processed, and analyzed in order to extract meaningful information that is useful for migration policy makers and practitioners. However, accurate and up-to-date migration data is largely inadequate today.

Collection of reliable and useable operational data requires careful attention to consistency between data definitions and data collection methods. Data must be coherent in order to be usefully exchanged between different data systems. Operational data are needed to:

• allocate and manage resources applied to migration management;
• support migration intelligence analysis;
• determine the extent to which policies are doing what they are supposed to; and
• determine the extent to which unintended negative consequences are being avoided.

Operational data are not solely a national resource. Exchange and sharing of data between countries can add significantly to the capacity to manage migration. I sincerely hope that this international conference will lead to further exchange of data.  This can help in addressing irregular migration and the criminal networks involved in such illegal activities. While the data might not always be perfect, the most important aspect is to discuss and exchange information and data.

Conclusion

In closing, let me summarize my points.

One, first an effective border management system must balance facilitation and control of migration.  Both must be addressed at the same time.

Two, the campaign against irregular migration must take place within a broader context of migration management. Such approach can strengthen and focus on protection and human rights efforts for those truly in need, while at the same time expanding efforts to improve legal opportunities for immigration, primarily through regulated labour programmes.

Three, exchange and sharing of data between countries can add significantly to the capacity to manage migration. Collection of reliable and useable operational data requires careful attention to consistency between data definitions and data collection methods.

In conclusion, we must work together in partnership.  Although IOM is the only international organization whose mandate is exclusively migration – IOM cannot and should not try to manage migration alone. One of my top priorities over the past three years has been to strengthen and increase our partnerships and promote a coordinated approach to migration management. Migration is necessary, inevitable and, if well managed, desirable.

I wish you all a successful conference, in this beautiful setting of Shanghai, which I am pleased to see has recovered remarkably after the recent typhoons that affected part of this area.  I look forward to my interactions with you during the next two days.