19th October, 2017
deported from Britain
Enira Krdzalic, Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Nigeria, on Thursday said that the country needed national partnerships and engagements to tackle the challenges of irregular migration.
Krdzalic made the remark at a two-day National Consultation on Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, Regular Migration(GCM) in Lagos.
“We have a large number of Nigerians migrating to other countries seeking better opportunities.
“This migration is often irregular, as legal channels opportunities are limited and could be time-consuming and bureaucratic.
“Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders need to come together to discuss issues associated with migration while minimizing its consequences, ” she said.
The IOM, who noted that the country’s migration challenges was yet to be addressed in spite of ongoing Federal Government’s efforts at enhancing regular migration.
According to her, there is an increasing number of Nigerian young girls and women arriving in Italy alone.
Krdzalic said that the Global Compact on Migration(GCM) would be the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement prepared under the auspices of the United Nations to cover all dimensions of international migration.
“The GCM will set out a range of principles, commitments and understanding among member-states regarding international migration.
“The GCM would make an important contribution to global governance and enhance coordination on international migration,” she said.
Hajia Sadiya Farouq, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said that Nigeria was prepared to participate in the initiative.
Farouq said that GCM was an outcome of the first United Nations High Level Summit to address the large movement of refugees and migrants.
“It is aimed at shifting the attitude to migration from that of problematic to one of immense potential for national development and well-being of the individual migrant.
“Nigeria joins this global consultative initiative these two days to generate a common position that will inform Nigeria’s participation.
“Nigeria shares in the global migration dynamics and plays a significant role at the different levels of in migration discourse, “she said.
The two-day event is organised by NCRMI, IOM, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the European Union (EU).