- September 2, 2021
- Posted by: adminer
- Category: International
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has urged Africa to find the right policies and processes to facilitate migration and protect the rights of migrants in the continent.
Mrs Vera Songwe, the Executive Secretary, UNECA, made the call in her remarks on the official opening of the first Regional Review meeting on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in Africa on Wednesday.
The two-day meeting is being hosted by Morocco, virtually.
Songwe, who is also the Under-Secretary-General, was represented by Ms Thokozile Ruzvidzo, the Director, Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division, UNECA.
The executive secretary stressed that international migration played a critical role in the continent’s fight to develop and improve welfare, peace, stability and provide jobs for its growing population.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), international migration is the movement of persons away from their place of usual residence and across an international border to a country of which they are not nationals.
Also, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) defines an “international migrant” as “any person who changes his or her country of usual residence”.