Mr. Chairman,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a distinct honor to be invited to take part in this
important conference on the theme of Regional Economic Cooperation
in Afghanistan.  We are proud to be a partner with Afghanistan
and pledge our continuous support.  We are presently working
with the Afghan government on an entire range of projects across
the migration spectrum from Capacity Building to Border Management,
from Counter-Trafficking to community stabilization, from Disaster
Management and Disaster Risk Reduction to Resettlement.  Our
mission in Afghanistan is one of our largest offices
worldwide. 

I wish to take this opportunity to highlight three points that
address the conference theme from the angle of human mobility and
migration.  This series of Regional Conferences brings
together three key elements— three essential priorities, if
you will—that are essential to the future of Afghanistan, or
any other country for that matter.  These are 1) development,
2) regionalism, and 3) partnership.

I. MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

First, Migration is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of human
development, and yet, migration is the original and oldest poverty
reduction strategy known to humankind – that is, the freedom
to move in search of a better life. 

a) Moreover, remittances
migrants generate are three times greater than all development
aid—and as great as all foreign direct investment. 
Remittances often determine whether there will be food on the
table, medicine for health care, or education for boys and
girls.  These global flows of capital, including those to
high-income countries, are expected to exceed $590 billion by 2014,
greater than the GDP of some middle-income countries.

Migrants also bring dynamism, new ideas and a strong motivation
to succeed.  They often return home with new or enhanced
skills and capital—human and financial—to invest in
support of development goals.

b) Migration can help determine whether individuals and
societies thrive; whether individual rights are protected; and
whether opportunities for personal and societal growth and
development are achieved.

II. REGIONAL COOPERATION PRIORITIES

The second point I would like to make is that national development
does not happen in a vacuum.  Regional cooperation is
fundamental to realizing the benefits of human mobility. This is
why IOM is presently supporting 15 regional dialogues on
migration.  These include the Colombo Process, the Abu Dhabi
Dialogue, and the APC and Bali Processes.  Therefore, we
congratulate you for recognizing within this forum, the role of
migrants in the advancement of regional economic cooperation and
development. 

Today there are more people on the move than any other time in
recorded history: one billion.  This region alone contains
several of the world’s top migration countries, most notably
Afghanistan, and one of the world's top migration corridors, and
so, it is entirely appropriate that migration should be a key part
of your regional agenda.

As we look to the future, there remain a number of key migration
and development priorities. Let me mention several.

(a) The first priority is the need to continue enhancing
border management systems to facilitate the legal movement of
people and goods across international borders, while deterring
illicit activities. This includes in particular deterring the
trafficking and smuggling of persons—one of the most heinous
crimes of our times.

For the past decade, IOM has prioritized the capacity building
of national border guards, customs agencies, and others throughout
the region to build the capacity to regulate effectively the flow
of travelers, trade and goods, and to deter irregular movements and
smuggling.   

In this realm, IOM has opened two training centers—one
here in Dushanbe, and a second in Badakhshan. These centers are
helping to develop the operational capacity of Tajik and Afghan
border forces.  This is, however, only a beginning if regional
borders are to be secure.

(b) Second, we must continue to prioritize the creation of
decent labor and equal employment opportunities for Afghan and all
other migrants as well as the promotion and protection of migrant
rights.

(c) Related to this, there is prevailing need for improved,
high-quality Vocational Education Opportunities for men and women,
for migrants and non-migrants alike, throughout the region. 
Youth are a major force in today's world, and jobs are their
greatest demand.  Furthermore, stronger vocational skills
immediately increase a migrant’s earning potential and
thereby reduce the risk of falling victim to labor
exploitation. 

(d) Finally, we must work to ensure the protection and
reintegration of migrants in conflict prone areas.  To date,
IOM has provided assistance to support the return and reintegration
of some 13,000 Afghans throughout the country.  We have also
facilitated the return of highly qualified Afghans and have
succeeded in positioning them in key development positions. 
In this program, nearly 1400 Afghans have returned from over 30
countries to help rebuild their country.

But these efforts are not enough.  We must do
more—and we must work within a regional framework if we are
to succeed.

III. PARTNERSHIPS

My final point: Partnerships between and among states, civil
society, the private sector, and the international community are
critical if we are to achieve our common goal of a prosperous
Afghanistan.

We congratulate and thank you for bringing us together.  For
its part, like all others here no doubt, IOM stands ready to work
closely, in the future as in the past, with all partners.  It
is together that we advance towards the common goal of security and
economic prosperity for the millions of men, women, and children in
Afghanistan, and throughout the region.

Conclusion

In conclusion, migration is a critical factor influencing and
shaping development prospects globally, in Afghanistan, and in this
region.  We need to continue to promote development in its
regional context, and to explore and expand partnerships.