By NDUBI MVULA –
THE International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is now 65 years of age as it celebrates its gallant and selfless period of championing the cause of migrants all over the world, Zambia inclusive.
The theme for this year is “Towards a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”.
And Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba described the theme as befitting in light of various challenges faced world over with respect to migration as well as the benefits that migration can bring.
Mr Kalaba says the commemoration of the event also highlights the IOM launch of its Global Migration Film Festival which was held as part of the United Nations “Together” campaign that was launched in September this year by outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants.
“The campaign aims to encourage the celebration of diversity by changing negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants. It also celebrates diversity by encouraging the strengthening of the social contact between host countries and communities as well as between refugees and migrants,” he said.
He said the world is witnessing an unprecedented level of human mobility, around the world with many refugees and migrants leaving their homes either voluntarily or forcibly and travelling along dangerous routes and in most cases in a life risking manner.
Mr Kalaba says in 1016, approximately 4,742 individuals have died or are missing in the Mediterranean Sea with arrivals by sea amounting to 354,804.
“Such unfortunate situations are being experienced world over, even Zambia has not been spared. Just this year, about 26 migrants died from suffocation, road accidents or disease whilst in illegal and risky transit,” he said.
In this regard, he says the international migrants day presents an opportunity to reflect on the real positive impact of migration and diversity throughout the world but also to reflect on those that have died while embarking on the dangerous journeys.
He noted that migrants can face hardships and human right violations while on the move hence the need for collective effort in finding sustainable solutions to the challenges.
“It is gratifying to that for the first time within a mainstream global development policy, the United Nation’ s  2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development that was adopted on 27th September 2015 by world leaders, includes migration as it relates to lowering inequalities by the year 2030,” he said.
He says the Refugees and Migrants Summit which was attended by President Edgar Lungu was a landmark event as it saw the world agree on a better response to large movements of refugees and migrants.
Mr Kalaba observes the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants that was adopted expresses the political will of world leaders to save lives, protect migrants and share responsibility on global scale.
“It makes commitment to sustainable development for all,” he said. Zambia has been an IOM Member State since May 1992 and has established a longstanding collaboration with the organisation’s migration governance and has demonstrated its commitment to valuing the protection of vulnerable people on the move.
And IOM Chief of Mission, Zambia Ms Abibatou Wane says as part of the UN family her organisation is committed to support the Zambian Government towards achieving sustainable development through the implementation of the UN Development Partnership Framework.
Ms Wane describes 2016 as having been a landmark year for migration when the IOM and UN Member States grasped the historic opportunity to officially bring the IOM into the UN system during the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants.
She says this has given the organisation a much-needed voice to migrants in the international community.
“Today, one in every seven people is a migrant – be it a refugee, a student, a migrant worker or a professional who move between international postings,” she says.
She notes that more than 150 million people are migrant workers and that the 244 million figure only captures persons who stay abroad for at least 12 months adding that with temporary and short-term migrants included, the number would be much higher.
And UN Resident Coordinator Janet Rogan says the UN in Zambia is grateful for the long-standing and continued Government’s commitment towards the cause of refugees and migrants.
“The President led a very powerful delegation to the Refugees Summit and he reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to continued hosting of migrants and refugees, and committed to ensuring that they have access to the fundamental services that are the right of every person regardless of their status,” she said.