Resident Coordinator's message: IIUM's International Webinar on Valorising Migrants, Human Dignity and Global Engagement: Together We Triumph

Yan Berbahagia Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dato Zulkifli Abdul Razak, Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia

Your Excellency Pascal H. Grégoire, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Malaysia

Yan Berbahagia Dato Seri Anwar Fazal, Adjunct Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia

Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Berghout, Dean of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, International Islamic University Malaysia

Ladies and gentlemen… participants from Malaysia and abroad,

Assalamo alaykom; Good morning;

It gives me great pleasure to join you in this International Webinar on Valorising Migrants, Human Dignity and Global Engagement: Together We Triumph.

As we celebrate the International Migrants Day, we also celebrate migration not as an issue we need to resolve, but a reality and opportunity we can all benefit from.

Migration is a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary reality that crosses borders and impacts the life of millions of people. How migration is managed can make it either a pathway to dignity, economic prosperity and social inclusion, or a succession of hardships and unfulfilled hopes.

The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, adopted in September 2017, was a historic breakthrough, and unambiguously expressed the political will of world leaders to save lives, protect rights and share responsibility on a global scale.

The Global Compact for Migration was adopted in December 2018, marking a paradigm shift and triggering global efforts to make migration work for everybody. It was the first intergovernmental UN agreement on a common approach to managing international migration based on cooperation, sustainable development, and human rights. 

It recognized that migration can serve as a catalyst for development and that safe, orderly and regular migration increases its potential to drive social and economic change.

However, migrants also face challenges, including exploitation, trafficking and forced labour. They also suffer from weak and non-inclusive social security and social protection schemes both in countries of origin and destination, and limited access to basic services. Migrants are often disproportionately affected during emergencies, and we all saw how the pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities.

In the three years since the adoption of the GCM, some states have taken important steps to protect the rights and well-being of migrants. Some states have undertaken substantial reforms to ensure that recruitment is fair, and that migrant workers enjoy decent work.

Others continue to tackle the impacts of COVID-19 by ensuring non-discriminatory access to vaccine, and the continued employment of migrant workers, including by ensuring more flexible pathways for regular migration.

In Malaysia, migrants contribute significantly and are valuable members to the economy.

There are about 2 million migrants officially working in Malaysia, and they are key to the success of various industries: agriculture, plantation, manufacturing and services.

The International Migration Review Forum next year will take stock of progress in implementing the GCM. Built on the premise that no state can address migration alone, it aims to take stock of countries’ achievements and developments in the governance of migration.

Since the GCM was adopted, Malaysia has taken encouraging steps towards making migration work for all. It has just launched the National Action Plan on Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the National Action Plan on Forced Labour, which, if actioned and implemented, are good examples of well-managed migration.

We command these efforts and encourage Malaysia to maintain its existing reform momentum, engaging government, employers, recruitment agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders to make migration safe, regular and orderly.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak at your webinar and I wish you successful and fruitful meeting.