Colombo Process

The Colombo Process is a regional consultative process on management of overseas employment and contractual labour for countries of origin in Asia. The eleven member countries for the process are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam and eight destination country participants are Bahrain, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The main aim of the Colombo Process is to provide a forum for Asian Labour sending countries to:

• Share experiences, lessons learned and best practices on overseas employment.
• Consult on issues regarding overseas workers, labour sending and receiving states, and propose practical solutions for the well being of vulnerable overseas workers.
• Optimize development benefits from organized overseas employment, and enhance dialogue with countries of destination.
• Review and monitor the implementation of the recommendations and identify further steps for action.

The dialogues continue to evolve around three thematic foci — Protection of and Provision of Services to Migrant Workers, Optimizing Benefits of Organized Labour Migration, Capacity building, Data Collection and Inter-State Cooperation.

Major achievements of this process are:

• Sharing of good practices, data and information through regular dialogue among countries of origin of overseas contractual workers in Asia
• A comprehensive training curriculum for labour attachés and overseas employment administrators was developed and joint training courses were implemented in Kuwait (2004), Bangkok (2005), China (2006) and Islamabad(2006).
• A regional workshop for employment agencies in Asia on placing workers in Europe and ethical recruitment was held in Manila(2006).

A number of policy studies have been carried out to support the efforts of member governments on the following topics: (hyperlink to publications section)

• Protection of migrant workers
• Capacity building and inter-state cooperation
• Regulatory frameworks for recruitment of migrant workers
• Minimum standard employment contracts
• Pre-departure orientation programs, best practices
• Welfare funds for migrant workers
• Training and skill development for migrant labour
• Flow and utilization policies on migrant workers' remittances

A feasibility study to establish an Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) in one of the labour receiving countries in the GCC has been completed. This could provide vital information and support services to labour migrants and governments

Implementation at national level of recommendations adopted at the Ministerial Consultations

For further information please visit : http://www.colomboprocess.org

Global Forum on Migration and Development

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a state-led, voluntary, non-binding and informal consultative process open to all member states and observer states of the United Nations. The Forum”s purpose is to address the multi-dimensional aspects , opportunities and challenges related to international migration and its inter-linkages to development, to bring Government expertise from all regions, to enhance dialogue, cooperation and partnership and to foster practical and action oriented outcomes at the national, regional and global levels.

The first meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development took place on 9th – 11th July, 2007 in Brussels. The governmental discussions on 10th and 11th July were preceded by a meeting of civil society representatives on 9th July. This marked the start of a new global process designed to enhance the positive impact of migration on development (and vice versa) by adopting a more consistent policy approach, identifying new instruments and best practices, exchanging know-how and experience about innovative tactics and methods and, finally, establishing cooperative links between the various actors involved.

The second meeting of the GFMD was held from 27th – 30th October, 2008 at Manila. Joint Secretary(FS), MOIA was a member of the Indian delegation for the meeting.