Policy Memorandum International Migration and Development 2008
Date Added: Wednesday, 30 March 2011The policy memorandum sets out the migration and development policy framework for the Government of The Netherlands, focusing on six key policy priorities aimed at areas in which the Netherlands can make a difference, such as institutional development in migration management; promoting circular migration and brain gain; strengthening the involvement of migrant organizations; strengthening the link between remittances and development and encouraging sustainable return and reintegration.
Countries
- The Netherlands
Implementing organizations
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (previously Ministry of Justice)
Type of Practice
Policy document
Level of intervention
National, Bilateral, Regional, International
Thematic Areas
Development Planning | Migration Management | Labour, Temporary and Circular Migration | Diaspora | Remittances | Social Cohesion, Integration and Reintegration
Tags
Capacity Building | Circular Migration | Climate Change | Data | Health | Gender | Human rights | Mainstreaming migration into Development Planning | Return and Reintegration | Policy Coherence | Skilled migration | Temporary Migration | Trafficking and Smuggling
Target group
The Policy Memorandum has been written by the Minister for Development Cooperation and the State Secretary for Justice to create a policy framework for The Netherlands for Migration and Development policies and projects. Some target groups that are directly addressed in the memo are:
- Policy makers in developing countries
- Embassies
- Migrants and diaspora organizations
Duration/ Period
The policy memorandum written in 2008 is the current policy framework for Migration and Development related policies, projects and actions by the government of The Netherlands.
Budget
The activities within the framework of the memorandum are being funded through a grants framework, for which the budget is EUR 9 million in 2011.
Links GFMD
Since the policy memorandum deals with the interface between migration and development, many links to the agenda of the GFMD over the past years can be identified. All 6 priorities in the policy memorandum have been to a greater or lesser extent subject of debate during the subsequent GFMDs. For example policy coherence, circular migration, remittances, diaspora and migrants organizations and sustainable return and reintegration, are all themes addressed in the memorandum. Furthermore the GFMD is specifically referred upon in the memorandum, as an important forum for global debate and cooperation on migration and development.
Various parts of the memorandum have been used as background information to various Roundtable sessions the past years, for example for last year's Roundtable session 1.2 on Joint Strategies to address irregular migration [ FR | ES ]
Objective
The underlying objective of the memorandum for the Netherlands is to make a contribution to strengthening the positive effects of migration on development and mitigating the negative effects. Based on this objective, the policy memorandum sets out the migration and development policy framework for the Government of The Netherlands, focussing on six key policy priorities aimed at areas in which the Netherlands can make a difference.
Description
Under each of the 6 priority areas specific activities are undertaken:
- Focusing more on migration in the development dialogue and on development in the migration dialogue
The aim is to include a migration perspective in poverty analyses and/or Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) in partner countries. At the same time, wherever possible and applicable, the interests of developing countries play a role in Dutch and European migration policy. - Fostering institutional development in migration management
Depending on the needs of the country of origin or transit, efforts are made to improve data collection, combat irregular migration, human trafficking and people smuggling, facilitate regular migration, and provide adequate protection to refugees and asylum seekers. - Promoting circular migration/brain gain
The Netherlands continues its policy of encouraging temporary assignment to the country of origin, whereby migrants who live permanently in the Netherlands serve temporarily as experts, contributing to development and/or reconstruction efforts in the developing country of origin. In addition a pilot circular migration has been developed for temporary migrants from developing countries to The Netherlands, in order to gain greater insight into the risks, opportunities and limitations of such circular migration schemes. - Strengthening the involvement of migrant organisations
Efforts are made to involve migrant organisations more closely when discussing and carrying out policy related to development cooperation. - Strengthening the link between remittances and development
Since remittances are private finance flows, the government of The Netherlands only facilitates in the creation of favourable conditions, by improving transparency, stimulating migrant initiatives and investing in financial sector development. - Encouraging sustainable return and reintegration
The Netherlands provided financial reintegration assistance as well as assistance in kind to migrants that are not (or no longer) entitled to remain lawfully in the country.
Achievements and lessons
The Netherlands will shortly undertake an assessment of the activities and its achievements within the 6 priority areas. Where relevant, the Netherlands will be pleased to share the results of the assessment on the PfP when available. The first results are expected to be out in the beginning of 2012.
Links
- The English version of the policy memorandum can be found through this links:
http://www.minbuza.nl/dsresource?objectid=buzabeheer:46419&type=pdf
Practice Materials
