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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
New York City, New York - Statement by The Right Honourable Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas at High Level Meeting to Address Large Movements Of Refugees and Migrants made on September 19th, 2016:
Mr. President:
Permit me, at the very outset, to extend warm greetings to you, and to record my profound appreciation for the work of the United Nations, Member States, Civil Society and other stakeholders, for their collaborative efforts in addressing the complex challenges that affect the large movement of refugees and migrants.
This is a matter that weighs heavily upon the minds of nations, great and small, all over the world. This High Level Meeting is therefore of particular relevance and urgency.
Allow me also, Mr. President, to express my gratitude to the Secretary-General, His Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for his leadership on this issue, and to his Special Advisor, Ms. Karen Abu Zayd, and all others who have played a role in preparing us for this important High Level Meeting.
Mr. President:
The phenomenon of large movements of refugees and migrants has reached an unprecedented level of complexity and challenge. Global consensus on how to deal with this phenomenon has become a matter of the most urgent priority.
The Bahamas therefore welcomes the efforts that are now underway to develop a common understanding and global consensus on how best to effectively address and manage the large movement of refugees and migrants. In this regard, I note with satisfaction the heightened sense of priority that is increasingly characterizing the global response to this problem.
We recall that the World Humanitarian Summit, held in Istanbul in May of this year, was the first summit of its kind. That was an important occasion for the further crystallization of our collective determination on this matter.
It is appropriate, therefore that this High-Level Meeting should be held so soon after the Summit.
Mr. President:
While discourse on migration tends to focus on the negative aspects of irregular migration, we in The Bahamas, because of our own historical experience with the large movement of migrants, are acutely mindful of the positive contributions that can sometimes flow out of this phenomenon.
Indeed regular migration yields considerable benefits to both sending and receiving countries. Such benefits include: economic development, cultural cross-fertilization, and the promotion of state-to-state cooperation in the management of matters of common concern.
Prime Minister Perry Christie (right) with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell (center) and Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson at the United Nations Migration Summit in New York, 19 September 2016. The Prime Minister is heading The Bahamas Delegation participating in the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Prime Minister and his delegation arrived in New York on Sunday, September 18, and are scheduled to return to Nassau on Wednesday, September 21. Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell also arrived on Sunday by train from Washington, D.C., where he participated in the 2016 Our Ocean conference hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department here in Washington, D.C., September 15 to 16.
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At the same time, however, it is imperative that we move in earnest towards the development of a comprehensive approach to irregular migration, especially focusing on the underlying causes that motivate so many persons to resort to desperate and dangerous measures in search of better opportunities in other countries.
The Bahamas, as both a transit and receiving country, continues to represent an unusual model for migratory movement and its impact. As a porous, archipelagic nation situated in close proximity to both source and destination countries, The Bahamas continues to experience large mixed migration from within, and outside, of the region.
While our history clearly demonstrates, as I have already indicated, the value that can accrue from the many and varied contributions of documented migrants, we are still challenged by the disproportionately large and continual influx of undocumented migrants, the majority of whom arrive from regional source countries.
In this regard, our immigration policies are designed to best protect the national security interests and social welfare of The Bahamas, while respecting the human rights and dignity of migrants and refugees.
Mr. President:
The Bahamas is fully committed to the implementation and promotion of migrant-related mandates of international and regional agreement, to which it is a State party.
Over the years, successive governments of The Bahamas have enacted legislative and policy measures aimed at providing protection and support to regular and irregular migrants alike, including refugees, entering our territory.
Of particular note, The Bahamas has historically provided free public healthcare and education to all persons within the country, irrespective of status. Moreover, the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution extend to all “persons”, not just citizens and regular migrants.
We also have regulations to facilitate the orderly and expeditious processing of detained migrants and to ensure their protection while in detention.
The Bahamas also continues its practice of non-custodial arrangements for eligible irregular migrants, including minors and those persons protected under relevant legislation and regulatory guidelines.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell with the Director General of Foreign Affairs Sharon Brennen Haylock at the United Nations on Monday, September 19, awaiting the arrival of The Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Prime Minister, who will lead the Bahamas Delegation participating in the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 71). At the rear is Ms. Angelika Hillebrandt, Second Secretary for The Bahamas Mission to the UN
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While The Bahamas does receive a disproportionately high number of undocumented, non-asylum seeking migrants, our interdiction and immigration forces are cognizant that vulnerable persons may sometimes be included in migratory inflows.
As relates to the specific protection and assistance to asylum seekers and refugees in The Bahamas, the Bahamas Department of Immigration subscribes to the screening guidelines established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with a view to objectively determining whether the relevant persons are at risk of persecution in their country of origin. All interdicted migrants seeking asylum are interviewed by Immigration Officers trained by the UNHCR. Immigration officers receive ongoing sensitization training in this regard as well.
Moreover, the Government of The Bahamas and the UNHCR engage in regular dialogue. This enables national asylum assessments to be shared with the UNHCR and, where necessary, Advisory Opinions are requested.
Similarly, we cooperate with the IOM with whom we have a Memorandum of Understanding.
Mr. President:
The Bahamas welcomes the Outcome that has been negotiated for this meeting. It reflects the complex array of issues surrounding refugees and migration, and the equally complex responses that are needed for the regularisation of large movements of refugees and migrants.
We are particularly pleased to see that attention has been given to the need to alleviate some of the burden placed on migrant-recipient countries such as ours.
We look forward to future bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement based on this principle.
More generally, The Bahamas welcomes the calls for increased support from international, regional and multinational stakeholders for countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as the commitment to address the root causes of the problem that has brought us all together for this High-Level Meeting
Mr. President:
I wish to conclude by looking ahead to the establishment of the Global Compacts.
Be assured, Mr. President of the ongoing and vigorous support of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for all these commendable and important initiatives in our common quest to address the large-scale movement of refugees and migrants.
Mr. President, I thank you.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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