Excellencies, Delegates,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues:

It is an honor and a pleasure to be with you today, during this,
my first official visit to Seoul, Korea. I have the distinct honor
to welcome you to this briefing session on IOM's "Emergency
Operations and Resettlement Assistance" – two of our most
important activities. Consistently over the past 60 years, since
IOM was founded in 1957.

Today, more people are on the move than at any other time in
recorded history. 214 million international migrants and 740
million internal migrants. In other words, in a world of seven
billion inhabitants, one in every seven of us is in some form of
migratory status. The basic factors driving migration –
demographics and economics – can be expected to grow in their
complexity and are unlikely to ebb.

Moreover, given the sheer number of humanitarian emergencies
around the globe – and these will increase with climate
change – and the pressing need for enhanced preparedness
– our topic is relevant for the Asian region and the Korean
Peninsula.

I would like to make three points in my brief remarks:

I. Expanding IOM – Korea Partnership

First, let me begin by thanking all of you for being present
today as this gathering also marks IOM's celebration of its 60th
anniversary in this country.

My visit to Seoul is an opportunity to express appreciation to
you, our many partners, for the fruitful friendship and prosperity
that IOM has enjoyed over the past 20 years – and continues
to enjoy – with the Government and people of this country.
(Ninety-seven percent of IOM's US $1.4 billion annual budget comes
from you, the donors, so we are especially grateful.) You will find
in your new IOM bag, IOM Seoul Newsletter's Special Edition. That
issue highlights the miles stones in IOM's and IOM Seoul's
history.

Here in Korea, which became an IOM Member States in 1988 –
IOM started its first programme in 1991, by providing transit
assistance for people being resettled in North America. The
programme is still ongoing and has helped tens of thousands of
migrants to transit safely to new homes abroad. In 2004, IOM and
the Government of Korea signed a Cooperation Agreement.

Over the past ten years or so, IOM has undertaken important
research into migration issues; offered training on labour
migration, counter trafficking, and other topical migration
issues.

We are proud that this contribution helped forge a firm
partnership with the Korean Government to establish last year the
Migration Research and Training Center (MRTC). The MRTC is already
contributing to the further development of migration policies and
practices. In this regard, I am looking forward to my meetings
during the next few days with Prime Minister, Kim Hwang-sik;
Justice Minister, Lee Kwinam, and other senior Korean Government
officials.

II. New Areas of IOM-Korea Partnership

The second point I would like to make concerns the partnership
IOM enjoys with Korea in the area of our topic today, "Emergency
Operations and Resettlement Assistance."

As an economic powerhouse in Asia, Korea is a strong financial
supporter of IOM's operational activities. Korea supported IOM
during the 2004 tsunami relief effort in several Southeast Asian
countries; Korea was with us in the aftermath of the devastating
earthquake in Pakistan in 2005; and again more recently, in support
of the victims of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti with shelter
and non-food-items.

Just before this Briefing, I paid a visit to the Executive
Director of Community Chest Korea -- the country's largest private
sector donor -- in order to thank the agency for its generous
contribution of US$ 3 million in support of IOM's Haiti
transitional shelter programme – the largest single grant
that the Community Chest has ever made to a single
organization.

IOM's emergency humanitarian assistance – including
movement support and reconstruction initiatives – is one of
the largest areas of work for the Organization. In fact,
humanitarian assistance accounts for one-third of our US $ 1.4
billion dollar budget; yet these areas of expertise are relatively
little known among our Korean partners and the general public.

In this regard, today's briefing is a good opportunity to
introduce this area of work. IOM is, of course, better known for
resettlement – which also provides and additional one third
on IOM's budget. IOM has facilitated the resettlement o well over
15 million people to all corners of the globe during the past six
decades. Every year IOM resettles 200,000 refugees and migrants. In
doing so, we spend annually, more than US$ 100 million dollars in
one-way airline tickets alone.

IOM's services are complementary to UNHCR's --- we are natural
partners and this year celebrates jointly 60 years of partnership.
UNHCR's convention provides the agency with a mandate for
protection and asylum. IOM does not have a protection mandate per
se. IOM is neither a mandate organization nor an advocacy
institution. But we do protect vulnerable people in our work. The
preamble of our Constitution in fact recognizes that IOM is "to
facilitate, under the most favorable conditions, the settlement and
integration of migrants in the economic and social structure of the
country of reception."

Ultimately, IOM shares with UNHCR, and with resettlement
countries and our many partners in civil society, a common
responsibility and a common objective: to assist refugees,
displaced persons and other individuals compelled to leave their
homelands --- all of whose only option is to be resettled.

The process often begins with IOM's cultural orientation and
language programmes; these operate in 44 countries and assist as
many as 50,000 migrants each year to prepare for their new life.
For example, at Japan's request, we are teaching Japanese to a
small group of Myanmar refugees in Northern Thailand to prepare
them for resettlement and integration in Japan.

The process continues with IOM medical health assessments often
including DNA and TB tests. In 2008 alone, IOM did 231, 000 medical
exams in 40 countries

Following onward travel, IOM engages with our partners in civil
society and immigrant communities in receiving countries, to help
pave the way for newly arrived migrants to integrate into their new
communities.

Well-prepared migration – even for resettlement of forced
migrants – is in the best interest of individuals and host
societies.

Conclusion

In closing, I believe today's briefing will provide food for
thought, as we consider the conceptual and operational planning
exercises associated with sudden, unexpected large-scale population
movements.

And as we consider the future of migration management, I would
emphasize the need for partnership. No single organization or
government can manage migration alone. We all need partners –
Governments; civil society; UN agencies; the academic world; and
our partners in resettlement countries.

Together we must continue to evolve and expand our capacity
through partnership, in order to be better prepared for possible
challenges of sudden population movement around this peninsula and
to protect the Korean people and ensure the continued prosperity of
this country.

Ladies and Gentlemen, again I thank you for taking part in
today's briefing. These are critical issues and this gathering
timely. Your discussions will, I know, be fruitful.