LUSAKA, 24 MAY 2018 (MSG SECRETARIAT) — Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)Director General, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli, is currently attending the ACP-EU Dialogue on Migration and Development on peer to peer (P2P) exchange meeting on Visas in Lusaka, Zambia this week starting on Tuesday 22 May.
Following the launching of the ACP-EU Migration Action (the Action) in 2015 and the May 2017 ACP-EU Seminar on Visas towards supporting activities promoting the ACP-EU Dialogue on Migration and Development, the overall objective of the P2P exchange meeting is to provide opportunities for communication, exchange information and best practices on visas and free movement.
MSG Leaders have agreed to deepen economic integration within Melanesia through the MSG Skills Mobility Scheme (SMS) forming the basis of the legal framework to promote labour mobility within Melanesia. The MSG Secretariat has thus been mandated by Trade Ministers and Leaders to explore the option of having an MSG Business Travel Card.With the impending ratification of the MSG Free Trade Agreement (MFTA), that includes a Chapter on Labour Mobility, it seeks to promote a fast, effective and efficient travel of nationals of MSG Member Countries in pursuit of business and employment opportunities.
“For MSG, our continuous engagements in this global process is vital as we work with ACP regional partners and development partners such as the European Union (EU), and International Organisation of Migration (IOM) to identify best practices that could work for MSG members, in terms of visas and free movements”, says Ambassador Yauvoli. This is noting that nationals of MSG member countries have already been moving across borders to work in other MSG countries through contracts either by private sector or government sponsored schemes. There is also already movement of capital and goods which gave rise to the establishment of business entities in the Melanesian countries.
The MSG Secretariat wishes to thank the IOM for supporting the Secretariat’s commitment to put in place systems and processes that would allow MSG nationals easy access to other MSG countries. This is critical given the imminent ratification and subsequent implementation of the MFTA, which shall in turn be beneficial to the intra-MSG flows of trade, investment and people.Such movement of people will facilitate the flows of remittances that will reach even those at grassroots level.
IOM is also supporting the MSG Secretariat’s proposal for the formulation of an MSG Remittances Policy. These developments synchronize with the various mandates of MSG Leaders, including the MFTA.
Importantly too, they are in line with the MSG 2038 Prosperity For All Plan and consistent with the policy aspirations of MSG Members under their respective National Development Strategies. The meeting also attended by three MSG members and Tuvalu from the Pacific will conclude on Thursday 24 May. ….PACNEWS
