The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

The joint meeting of ACP and Commonwealth Ambassadors held in Brussels on 5 July 2007 was Co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Todd McClay, Ambassador of the Cook Islands and Vice-Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Political, Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors and H.E. Hon. Burchell Whiteman, High Commissioner of Jamaica to the United Kingdom in behalf of the Commonwealth.

The Ambassadors of the two Oorganizations, who met to prepare for participation in the Global Forum on Migration and Development, scheduled to take place in Brussels from 9 to 11 July 2007, affirmed the importance of the global context of migration, which enables Governments of developing and developed countries to consider practical methods for reinforcing the mutually beneficial link between migration and development. To this end, the inclusive approach to issues related to migration and development was underscored.

On the basis of the ACP Position on Migration and Development and the Commonwealth Outcome Report on the Pre-Global Forum on Migration and Development, Ambassadors undertook to ensure that the Global Forum establishes the importance of analyzing and assessing the complexity of migration in order to address the migration and development nexus.  

The ACP and Commonwealth Ambassadors undertook to pursue a common strategic objective, namely the representation and active participation of their member states in the Global Forum. To this end, they undertook to meet at regular intervals to assess the process and prepare towards participation in the 2^nd Forum to be held in the Philippines during 2008. The ACP Group and the Commonwealth will strive to ensure that the voice of the developing countries is heard, and that issues of particular concern, such as brain drain, mobility of workers, fight against criminal networks, respect for human rights of migrants, remittances, etc. are given appropriate attention.

The Ambassadors hailed the constructive nature of this first meeting and decided to instruct their respective Secretariats to pursue collaboration with a view to ensuring greater visibility and increased participation of the developing countries in the Global Forum.

In conclusion, the ACP and Commonwealth Ambassadors expressed their desire to hold an assessment meeting after the Global Forum on Migration and Development.

Brussels, 5 July 2007