International Conference on Development and Migration Statement By Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General Rome, 23 July 2023

International Conference on Development and Migration

Statement

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

Rome, 23 July 2023

 

Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished participants,

 

FAO welcomes the initiative by the Italian Government to convene this important conference on Development and Migration, and to initiate the “Rome Process” to address the drivers of migration and identify possible solutions.

Migration is a complex issue caused by economic, social, and political challenges, and natural disasters.

A large share of migrants come from rural areas, with youth often having to migrate out of rural areas to search new opportunities and hopes to get rid of poverty and food insecurity, and to try their fortunes with new decent jobs and better education for their children.

According to FAO’s latest estimates, as many as 735 million people in the world faced hunger in 2022 – higher than pre-pandemic figures.

At the end of 2022, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide was estimated at 108.4 million people, an increase of 19 million compared to the end of 2021, and over 57 million people were internally displaced.

Migration and forced displacement are significant in Africa. In 2023 alone there were about 44 million.

Over 31 million Africans live outside their country of birth, the majority within the African continent.

In fact, the majority of migration is intra-regional or intra-African, especially in west and southern Africa, as migrants seek employment opportunities in neighbouring regional economic hubs, and only about 25% of African migrants go to Europe.

Although migration data is fragmentary, fluid and often imprecise, it is estimated that African migrants are overwhelmingly located within the 8 sub-regional economic communities in Africa: 80% in the west, 65% in the south, 50% in central Africa, and 47% in eastern Africa.

The exception is northern Africa where about 90% of its emigrants move to other localities outside Africa. In the Asia and the Pacific region, there were 1.4 million newly displaced people within their countries in 2022. In the Near East and Northern Africa, there were 442 000 new displacements in 2022. In the Latin America region, new internal displacements totalled an estimated 214 000 people.

During 2022, in addition to conflict and violence, 32.6 million were displaced due to disasters, which accounts for more than half of all new displacements.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We need to work collectively to investigate the root cause of different migration and find a package of solutions for different situations.

Urbanization and industrialization have been and will create a lot of opportunities for youth and women to change their lives.

This conference is taking place on the eve of the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment, which is an important moment on the path towards efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems that will help improve livelihoods for all.

By providing food security and nutrition for all. By generating decent and green jobs. By adapting to the impacts of the climate crisis that heavily affects the rural poor, and those who rely on agriculture, pastoralism and fisheries. By restoring natural resources and production systems that provide livelihoods, including for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. And by preserving vital nature resources like water, to ensure there is mechanism to share fairly for everyone and that it does not spark conflict.

FAO is committed to driving the transformation of global agrifood systems. FAO is supporting youth-led initiatives in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable management of natural resources to create decent employment opportunities. FAO is also working to enhance the resilience of rural livelihoods to the climate crisis.

Through the Africa Great Green Wall Initiative, FAO is restoring degraded lands and building climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods across the Sahel,North Africa and the Horn of Africa.

In countries such as Tunisia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Uganda, FAO has worked closely with national and local partners to train youth and returning migrants, and support them in setting-up small and medium agri-enterprises.

Our work helps migrants and internally displaced persons to engage in agrifood systems and rural development.

FAO advocates improved outcomes for migrant workers in agriculture, as well as improving benefits for host communities and families back home.

An example of this is collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States on the development of an updated Framework on Social Protection.

FAO also collaborates with UN partners to facilitate the return and re-integration of refugees and internally displaced persons, including from Mali, Somalia and the Central African Republic.

Dear Colleagues,

While we work to address the drivers of migration, we must remember that well-managed migration can be an engine for global economic growth.

Many parts of the world are facing labour shortages, the population is growing older and there are technical and economic gaps in specific sectors, including agrifood systems and supply chains.

Well-organized migrants can help to fill these gaps.

However, for planned migration to be successful we must recognize structural inequalities, including gender inequality. The choice to migrate is often not available to the most vulnerable, particularly women and youth.

FAO welcomes the “Rome process” and the proposal to develop, together with participating countries and partner organizations, a five-year plan to boost growth, investments and sustainable development in source countries.

In this regard, priority should be given to agrifood systems transformation and rural development, vocational training and skilful certification for youth and women.

Industrial parks with labour-intensive light industries should be early harvests in partnering countries supported by Italy and the EU, along with the engagement of private sectors.

FAO stands ready to offer technical support to the Government of Italy and FAO Members to develop and implement the relevant plans.

I encourage all FAO Members to adopt innovative policies and a development agenda for turning the challenges into opportunities, which reduce the drivers of migration, and also acknowledge the immense contributions migrants bring to host countries.

Let us act in solidarity with the most vulnerable to provide them with a better future and a better life, and ensure that no one is left behind.

Thank you.