By Jacinta Nwachukwu
The Civil Society Network of Migration Development (CSONetMADE) says the Revised National Migration Policy 2025 has helped in responding to emerging national, regional and global migration realities.
Its National Coordinator, Dr Emeka Chris-Obiezu, who said this on Wednesday at the thematic Technical Working Group meeting in Abuja, described CSONetMADE as a network of over 300 civil society organisations (CSOs).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting aims at enhancing public awareness and understanding of key stakeholders of the Draft 2025 National Migration Policy and raising awareness on the Integrated Implementation Plan.
Chris-Obiezu explained that the realities included economic pressures, conflict – induced displacement, rising irregular migration and trafficking in persons trends among others.
He listed the policy priorities to include: facilitating regular migration, labour mobility and developmental benefits of migration, adding that it promotes safe, orderly and regular migration channels.
Others, he mentioned were: protecting migrants rights and safety, strengthening integrated border management system for national security and safe migration, promoting dignified return, readmission and sustainable reintegration among others.
“So, this is a high level of policy engagement on the enhanced public awareness and understanding and our focus is to ensure institutional understanding of this policy and the roles of the agencies.
“It also aims to develop a roadmap to ensure the dissemination of this policy within the developed institutions, and how the developed institutions will foster the downstream dissemination through national and local member engagements.
“We took for granted the level of understanding of people of migration issues; it was obvious from my interactions that a lot still need to be done to get people to understand the migration concepts and the migration dynamics as it were.
“We are very hopeful that the goal also will continue to progress towards the successful implementation of the 2025 advanced national migration policy,” he added.
He further said that the organisation would incorporate a serious capacity building as part of the dissemination of the policy.
Chris-Obiezu underscored the need for more cooperation, collaboration and coordination among state and non-state actors including the international partners for sustainable migration governance.
He said by doing so, migrants would be protected, country services would be ensured, and migration would become beneficial to all.
NAN also reports that the event was organised by CSONetMADE in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
The event was also supported by the International Organisation for Migration under the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund and the European Union’s Support for Migration Governance in Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
