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Global Financial Crisis Could Affect Migrants - Ban Ki-moon |
PRESS RELEASE No. 16
MANILA, Philippines, Oct. 29 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, describing the global financial meltdown as “worrisome”, today appealed to the leaders of developed countries to cushion the financial blow on the economies of developing nations.
“Migration is being affected by this (global economic) crisis. This is worrisome,” the UN chief said in a press conference held after gracing the formal opening of the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Reaffirming his support for the initiatives world leaders have taken so far to minimize the impact of an economic slowdown, Ban also called on the leaders and policy makers, particularly in the developed countries, to take action on the plight of less developed countries.
“I urged them not to lose their sight of the challenges and sufferings of those developing countries particularly when it comes to the poorest of the poor,” Ban said.
The UN top official appealed to the migrants-receiving countries to make sure that the rights of the migrant workers are also protected.
“Their rights should be protected and should be given due respect as human beings in the countries of destinations,” he said.
“I also urged those countries to accommodate many migrants and to ensure, through domestic legislation and creation of social framework, the protection of their human rights. I have been urging the developed countries not lose the political will and priorities which are very important,” he added.
Amidst global economic meltdown, Ban still believes that migration can also be used as tool to get out of economic crisis through continuing dialogues and discussions of important issues in a forum like in the ongoing 2nd GFMD in Manila.
“The theme protecting and empowering migrants for development is very timely and useful considering the challenge of the financial crisis and other multiple challenges we are now facing,” he said.
“We also know that migration can and should be a tool to help us out of the economic crisis, and it is only with the cooperation of the policy makers and politicians, that this will be possible,” he added.
Ban said he hopes that the Manila GFMD would provide quick guidelines and recommendations to the UN member and participating countries for the benefit of the more than 200 million people working and living outside their home countries.
Peter Sutherland, the UN secretary-general’s representative on migration also believes that the financial crisis will have “inevitable” effects on migrant workers due to the slowing down of job creation in the migrants-receiving countries.
“It will have further effects in terms of job creation and therefore it is inevitable that the effect of the credit crunch will focus to a significant degree on migration,” he said.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos sees the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working as domestic helpers as the sector affected most by the economic crisis.
“The President of the Philippines has already instructed the concerned agencies to come up with contingency plans to mitigate the effect, especially to the domestic helpers who are the most vulnerable to this kind of crisis,” said Conejos, who joined the two UN officials in the press conference facilitated by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza
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