The summit discussed a package of topics of interest to about 270 million immigrants to work around the world

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, “May God protect him”, the work of the Global Forum for Migration and Development Summit at its thirteenth session was concluded yesterday evening, v the UAE, with the participation and presence of more than 2000 participants representing 100 A state, an international organization, global consultative tracks, the private sector, and youth.

At the end of the summit, international partnerships, most notably the partnership between the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the African Union were announced to implement an orientation program for migrant workers from African countries to work in the Arab Gulf states, to provide accurate information on the most important issues related to migration for work, whether related to the terms and conditions of recruitment and employment, or work contracts and workers’ financial transfers, as well as a development partnership between the Belgian Agency for Development and the Senegalese Youth Union to enable young Senegalese entrepreneurs to obtain opportunities to establish their projects in Belgium.

The summit, which was held from January 18 to January 26, discussed a package of topics of interest to about 270 million immigrants to work around the world, under the slogan “The Future of Human Mobility: Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Development” at a time when government representatives and participants praised optimal management for the virtual summit due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is decided that the UAE, Morocco, and Ecuador will co-chair the fourteenth session of the Forum 2021 “Troika Presidency”, at a time when the representative of the French government at the summit announced his country’s desire to take over the presidency of the fifteenth session of the Forum 2022.

His Excellency Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Chairman of the Summit, praised the discussions witnessed at the summit and the wide participation in its work, which confirms the sincere desire of the member states of the forum and all partners to work together for a better world and a prosperous future for people all over the world.

In his speech to the closing session of the summit, he affirmed the UAE’s awareness of the need for international cooperation to discuss issues related to development and migration for work, as this was embodied in the country’s work program by which it ran the thirteenth session of the forum, by focusing on strengthening and developing partnerships.

His Excellency also affirmed the UAE’s commitment to continue its support for the Global Forum for Migration and Development during the coming period as a member of the “Presidency Troika”, indicating that the forum will continue to play its key role in strengthening labor migration governance mechanisms and in providing a vital platform for discussing urgent issues and achieving tangible results, especially concerning strengthening the link between development and migration for work.

On his part, Abdullah Al-Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources for Communication and International Relations, explained that 34 sessions were organized during the seven days of the summit during which the participants discussed the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recovery plans developed by countries, as well as the impact of technology on labor markets, and how to combat illegal immigration and action plans developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the African Development Association to encourage diasporas to contribute to skills development programs in their countries, as well as partnerships aimed at building the capacity of member states.

It is noteworthy that the topics discussed by the summit represented the outputs of six regional consultations organized by the UAE through visual communication technology, during the period from May to July 2020, in implementation of the work program for the thirteenth session of the forum, which the country has implemented since it assumed the presidency of the forum in January 2020.

Al-Nuaimi said. The summit witnessed the organization of the Youth Leadership and Innovation Competition, and another competition, in cooperation between the International Organization of Entrepreneurs and the Swiss Business Incubator, to select the best start-up project to serve migration and development issues.

It is noteworthy that the Global Forum for Migration was launched in 2008, as it constitutes a government consultative process concerned with voluntary cooperation among the member states of the United Nations to enhance the developmental returns of migration for work. Its annual work culminates in a summit hosted by the country chairing the forum.