The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with the International Organization of Migration, today launched the Migration Profile in Guyana: Promoting Evidence-Based Policy-Making project. Guyana stands to benefit from the IOM-backed project, which will centralize, share and analyze data collection on migration and compile existing data to better inform migration policy.
During the launch, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Honourable Hugh Todd, emphasized the Government’s efforts to use science to inform public policy. Further, the Foreign Minister noted that the evidence-based approach will help to determine Guyana’s population demographics which will in turn aid the development drive.
According to the IOM, a Migration Profile is “an analysis of available accurate and disaggregated data on some or all migration-relevant aspects of a country’s national context, prepared in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, which can be used to enhance policy coherence, evidence-based policymaking on migration and the mainstreaming of migration into development plans.”
IOM Regional Coordination Officer for the Caribbean and Chief of Mission Robert Natiello said that Guyana is on the cusp of great change. Included in that change is a changing migration dynamic, the IOM Guyana Chief of Mission stated. He emphasized that migration is steadily being recognized as a “key promoter of sustainable development”.
United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka attributed Guyana’s rich ethnic diversity to migration. She noted that around the world, hundreds of millions of migrants are living outside of their country of birth.
The UN Resident Coordinator stressed the importance of the explicit inclusion of migration in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This, she stated, further demonstrates the growing recognition of clear links between migration and its positive impact potential on global development.
Tanaka highlighted the positive contribution of migrants to their new host communities in the form of skills, the strengthening of the labor force, and the enhancement of cultural diversity. According to the Resident Coordinator, migrants also contribute to their communities of origin through the transfer of acquired skills and financial resources, thereby contributing to positive development outcomes at home.
The Migration Profile includes a component for capacity-building and coordination across Government Ministries, Civil Society, and Academia to foster greater country ownership. The output of the study will involve consultations with stakeholders to help identify gaps, strategies, and evidence to inform policy on economic, developmental, and social aspects, among others, that impact migration.
During the launch, stakeholders from Government Ministries, UN agencies, international partners, and local Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) were briefed on the Migration Profile process and their role in the success and development of the project. Once completed in 2022, a report will be launched detailing the findings.
To date, over 100 Migration Profiles have been developed around the world.
