With an aim to ensure a safe environment for the migrant workers, the labor-sending countries of Asia gathered in Kathmandu to prepare a joint action plan for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) process.

The two-day meeting that began yesterday witnessed a participation of senior officials of the Colombo Process Member States (CPMS) that belong to Colombo Forum, a forum that works on management of overseas employment and contractual labor for countries of origins in Asia.

According to the organizers, plans to protect and promote the rights of CPMS’ migrant workers going abroad, while also enhancing migration governance and engaging in the GCM process will be discussed in the meeting.

In his inaugural address, Nepali Minister for Labor and Employment Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary said, “While the meeting will discuss on our common position and recommendations to move ahead, we must not forget that the migrants from our countries immensely contribute to the development, prosperity and diversity of the transit and destination countries.”

He further called upon the member countries stating, “It is an appropriate time to strongly raise the common concerns of our migrants and suggest better options to address the issue, which will also be beneficial for the transit and destination countries in better management of migrants and providing them services.”

The discussions and recommendations will move around five themes of Colombo Process such as fostering ethical recruitment, effective pre-departure orientation and empowerment of migrant workers, skills and qualification recognition processes of labor migrants, international labor market analysis and remittances.

Chaired by Nepal, Colombo Process is a Regional Consultative Process on migration with 12 Asian labor-sending countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam as its members.

Take-aways to be Presented Before UN

The officials are aimed at coming up with an action plan based on the take-aways of an expert-level meeting held on September 8, 2017 towards addressing GCM-related issues.

And, the meeting outcome will be presented at the regional UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific consultation in Bangkok and submitted to the GCM stocktaking meeting in Mexico.

The Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of Nepal is hosting the meet with support from International Organization for Migration, Nepal (IOM) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

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