Denver- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) lauded Morocco’s role as a “champion” of international migration in an interview with local media this week.
The Director-General of the IOM, Antonio Vitorino, made the statements during an interview at the Regional Review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. Vitorino stated Morocco’s assistance was “undeniable,” and highlighted the international pact’s origins at Marrakech in 2018.
Vitorino noted that Marrakech also hosted a number of organizations, including the IOM, UNESCO, the International Trade Union Confederation, and the International Organization of Employers (IOE), to discuss a global partnership for skills mobility. According to the director-general of the UN’s migration office, this was a “key concept” in international migration procedures.
Within the African continent, the Director-General highlighted Morocco’s role as a leader through being the first country in North Africa to integrate migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa, as well as contributing to development efforts for its southern neighbors. He stated further that during the 28th summit of the AU, King Mohammed VI was appointed as the head of migration issues.
Vitorino further asserted that while the pandemic could slow the momentum of migration policy, the continued work of intergovernmental institutes dedicated to migration advocacy is beneficial to the progress being made.
In this regard, Vitorino specifically commended the African Migration Observatory. The African Migration Observatory is an organization based in Rabat, and is dedicated to monitoring migration through “its own data and information about migratory phenomena within Africa.”
Morocco’s unique geographical location has provided an enabling environment, allowing government officials to fully recognize the impact that migration has on both regional and international levels.
The North African country continues to be an important gateway for migration originating in sub-Saharan Africa, and as such, will continue to play an integral role, establishing a bridge between the migration policies of the African and European continents.
