GFMD Philippines 2008 - Government Meeting - Information for Participants

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Information for Participants

General Information

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a state-led, voluntary non-binding and informal consultative process open to all Member States and Observer States of the United Nations. UN Agencies and other international and regional bodies may be invited as observers. It was created upon the proposal of the United Nations Secretary-General at the September 2006 General Assembly High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. The Forum�s purpose is to address the multi-dimensional aspects, opportunities and challenges related to international migration and its inter-linkages with development, to bring government expertise from all regions, to enhance dialogue, cooperation and partnership and to foster practical and action-oriented outcomes at the national, regional and global levels.

The first meeting of the Forum was initiated and hosted by Belgium, with the assistance of the UN Secretary General�s Special Representative for Migration and Development, Peter Sutherland. The Second Meeting will be hosted by the Philippines.

Appropriate arrangements have been made for the participation of Civil Society.

Date and Venue

The Second Meeting of GFMD will be held on 27-30 October 2008 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Metro Manila. Prior to the Government Meeting on 29-30 October 2008, the Civil Society Days will be held on 27-28 October 2008.

Opening

The opening plenary session of the Second Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 29 October 2008, at the Plenary Hall of the PICC, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Participants are expected to arrive between 8:00am and 8:30a.m. Given the large number of people expected at the Forum and the need for security checks, it is suggested that participants arrive, at the latest, 45 minutes prior to the opening plenary session. Entry to the meeting room will not be authorized once the opening plenary begins at 9:00 a.m.

Participants are reminded that mobile phones should either be switched off or switched to �silent� mode during all proceedings.

Agenda and organization of work

The Second Meeting of the GFMD has the central theme, �Protecting and Empowering Migrants for Development.�

A document on the roundtable themes has been posted on the GFMD website: www.gfmd2008.org

The sessions of the three roundtables are as follows:

Rountable 1: Migration, Development and Human Rights

* Session 1.1: Protecting the rights of migrants � a shared responsibility
* Session 1.2: Empowering migrants and diaspora to contribute to development

Rountable 2: Secure, Legal Migration can Achieve Stronger Development Impacts

* Session 2.1: Fostering more opportunities for legal migration
* Session 2.2: Managing migration and minimizing the negative impacts of irregular migration

Rountable 3: Policy and Institutional Coherence and Partnerships

* Session 3.1: Strengthening data and research tools on migration and development
* Session 3.2: Policy and institutional coherence on migration and development within governments
* Session 3.3: Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) at the interface of migration and development

Rules of Engagement

The Forum is a friendly, informal, interactive, and non-decision-making process. It is governed by the rules of the Chatham House, i.e. comments will not be attributed or credited specifically to any one person. General statements in both plenary and roundtable sessions are discouraged. The Forum�s main objective is to promote open and interactive discussions and debate.

Subject to time allowance, a few general statements may be made at the opening plenary session, although these must be limited to five (5) minutes each. An interactive debate will also be encouraged in the plenary session.

To promote exchanges between States, Observers will be allowed to intervene for a limited time, and only after all interested States have taken the floor.

Participation

States are encouraged to send delegations of high-ranking officials with responsibility for migration, development, external relations, employment, planning and other associated policies in their respective capitals.

A. Composition of the Delegation

A delegation should comprise at most three (3) persons per Member State. The composition of each delegation should be coordinated by the State’s focal person.

Governments are encouraged to ensure, to the extent possible, that their delegation composition is gender-balanced.

Certain international organizations are invited as Observers. Their delegations are limited to 2 persons. The composition of each delegation is coordinated by the organization’s focal person.

B. Financial Aid

Each country listed in the first two columns of the DAC List may request for financial support, if necessary, for one member of its delegation. Support consists of:

* An economy-class plane ticket, as inexpensive as possible.
* 3 nights in a hotel.
* A per diem of EU 75.00 from 28-30 October 2008.

The application for financial support must be submitted before 15 September 2008. No application received after that date will be processed.

Contact:

GFMD Task Force
Attention   : Mr. Miguel Almario
Telephone : +632 834-4883; +632 551-0843                                                 Facsimile   : +632 551 0847
Email         : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Travel assistance will be provided participants who have been granted financial aid. They may wish to reconfirm their return flight bookings at the Information Counter at the PICC from 27-30 October 2008.

C. ACP Countries

The member states of the ACP Group may receive financial support if they so request. In due course, the Secretariat of the ACP group of states will provide specific guidelines on how to avail of this facility.

Panelists for the roundtable sessions

The panelists (Chair, Moderator, Speaker, Discussant and Rapporteur) should, to the extent possible, be part of the official delegation. If they are not part of the official delegation, the panelists and their assistants shall only be invited to attend the session in which they will take part.

The Chair or Vice-Chair of a roundtable session must be from a public institution and may be accompanied by an assistant.

If requested and as necessary, the members of the session panels may be entitled to:

An economy-class plane ticket at lowest rate available
Accommodation in Hotel Sofitel, CCP Compound

These persons will not be given any per diem. Expenses associated with the participation of their assistants will not be covered by the organizers.

Registration and Identity Badges

A. Registration of Delegates

Registration for the 2nd Meeting of the GFMD and for the roundtables should be arranged through the focal persons/points identified for each country and organization. The focal points must register their delegation before 31 August 2008, through the following Internet website: www.gfmd2008.org.

Alternatively, the focal point may contact:

Department of Foreign Affairs
Contact Person : Ms. Jocelyn Morales
Telephone No. : +632 834 3069
Facsimile No. : +632 834 3071
Email : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

B. Withdrawal of Badges and access

Entry to the Forum’s opening and closing meetings will be subject to the presentation of an official badge issued to delegations distributed by the organisers. The badges are personal and cannot be exchanged. A set of overpasses for the roundtables will be issued to delegations.

Badges and documentation can be collected by participants or their embassies (identification necessary), on 27-28 October 2008 from 10:00am to 5:00 pm at the Information Center, Ground Floor, Delegation Building, PICC.

Badges may also be picked up upon registration of participants on 29 October 2008 from 7:30 – 8:15 a.m. at the Registration Counter, 1st Floor, Delegation Building, PICC.

C. Liaison Officers

Each delegation will be assigned a liaison officer for the duration of conference. These liaison officers will be your main contact point for all organisation-related questions. They may also assist you in arranging bilateral or other side meetings.

Documentation

As part of the secretariat’s efforts to reduce expenditure and observe environmentalism through the digitalization of conference materials and publications, pre-session documents will be made available at the conference venue in limited number and only upon prior request.

Delegates are therefore kindly requested to bring their own copies of the pre-session documents to the meeting. Each delegation will receive a single, complete set of the documents to be distributed upon registration.

Memory sticks containing pre-session documentation and publications related to the Forum will be distributed to participants at the Documents Center together with the conference kits. The main documents distribution counter will be located at the ground floor of the Delegation Building of the PICC.

A business center will be provided with a limited number of computers and printers for the use of participants.

Languages, Translation and Interpretation Services

For the Government Meeting on 29 and 30 October 2008, language interpretation will be as follows:

* English, French and Spanish
* All official working papers will be available in English, French and Spanish. The discussion notes will be in English during the Forum period.

Information for Civil Society

The website for the Civil Society Day may be found in the main portal of the GFMD: http://www.gfmd2008.org

Media

Registration of the members of the press and the media

All members of the media who are interested to cover the 2nd Meeting of the GFMD must register online at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and obtain their accreditation.

Registration for members of the media is from 01 August to 15 September 2008. It is highly recommended that media undertake the online registration in the interest of greater efficiency in processing registration applications. There is no possibility for on-site registration and media should be well advised that the processing period may take longer due to the required security clearances.

To ensure efficient processing, all of the following documents must be submitted in a single electronic/digital application package:

* Equipment list (only if brought in from abroad)
* Letter of Assignment endorsed by the editor or a news executive from his/her media organization.
* Copy of passport for a citizen of a country other than the Philippines.

All documents must be scanned and attached in digital form.

Once online registration is successfully completed, media applicants will receive an e-mail notification of approval together with a Certification of Accreditation. This certificate should then be printed out and presented for visa applications if required.

Visas, transportation and accommodations

A. Required documents

All participants are required to possess a passport valid for at least six months to enter the Philippines.

B. Visas

Participants are responsible for arranging their visas if required. For details, participants or their focal point may inquire with the nearest Philippine Embassy or Philippine Consulate General in their respective countries.

For Ordinary Passport Holders

Participants who are from countries listed on the website below, are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding 21 days.

For additional information, check the following URL:
http://www.dfa.gov.ph/consular/visa-02.htm

For Diplomatic Passport Holders

Diplomatic passport holders should consult the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate regarding visa. Check http://www.dfa.gov.ph/philemb.htm for a listing of websites and contact numbers of Philippine Embassies and Consulates.

Other Arrangements for Visas

Participants who require visas but do not have easy access to a Philippine Embassy or Consulate may contact the following for appropriate arrangements:

Contact Person : Ms. Judy Barbara Robianes
Tel. Number     : +632 834 4854; +632 834 3707
Fax Number      : +632 834 3071
Email address   : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Members of the Media

Media representatives who will need a visa upon entry are advised to present a copy of their Certificate of Accreditation generated from the internet after the approval of registration, to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate to facilitate processing of their documents.

C. Accommodation

Participants are responsible for making their own accommodation arrangements. Special rates have been negotiated with various hotels close to the Philippine International Convention Center. Rates are based on single occupancy. Approximate dollar exchange rate is P 44.00 = US$ 1.00.

Only recommended hotels listed in Annex C will be provided with security services by the host Government and a shuttle bus service to take participants to the PICC in the morning and return them to their hotels in the evenings. For the location of recommended hotels, please see map (Annex B).

For participants unable to access the Internet, a hotel reservation form is included in Annex D. The form should be completed in full and sent to the selected hotel by the participant.

For further inquiries please contact:

Contact Person : Ms. Mayette Casaysayan
Tel. number     : +632 834 3069
Fax No.            :+632 834 3071
Email               : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

D. Airport reception

A courtesy lane for GFMD participants will be designated at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

On 28 October 2008, from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., transport by bus will be organized to shuttle the Forum’s participants between the airport and the hotels along the Bay area only.

Taxis are also available at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at the following rates:

Metered taxis Flag down is at P70.00 and an additional P 4.00
for every 300 meters thereafter.

Airport taxis Rates range between P440.00 and P 665.00 depending on the destination within Metro-Manila.

Participants make their own arrangements for the return trip to the airport for departure.

E. Transportation to and from hotels

A shuttle bus service between the PICC and the officially recommended hotels will be available free of charge to participants at a designated time in the morning, and from the PICC to the hotel in the afternoon or evening at the end of the sessions/function.

The schedule will be available at the information counter.

Facilities at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC)

The following facilities will be available to participants at the PICC:

* Information counter for participants
* Wireless internet facilities.
* A business center located at Function Rooms A and B, Secretariat Building, with limited number of computers, printers, and photocopiers
* A Prayer Room located at the East Wing Hall of the Convention Center
* Health care facilities/first aid room

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