Mr Chair

• Allow me first of all to commend you for convening this conference in Rabat.
• The conference is an important step in the ongoing dialogue between African countries and European countries on migration and migration policies.
• Migration is a major issue for both Africa and Europe. It needs to be approached in a holistic way and given priority to in development policies.
• Migration is now become a complex issue at the global level. It affects every country in the world, whether as point of origin, transit or destination.
• The movement of people is nothing new. Throughout history, people have moved to other countries to seek a better future for themselves and their families.
• Very many Norwegians emigrated to America 150-200 years ago, when our country was undergoing a severe recession, and found a better life there.
• In a globalised economy it is vital that people have the opportunity and freedom to migrate. There are benefits for individuals, for the sending state and for the receiving state.
• But not everybody in the world has the same opportunity to migrate out of choice, and many do so out of necessity. We have to create economic opportunities where people live, so that they are able to realise their potential in their country of origin.
• The question of how migration policy can be integrated into a coherent policy for poverty reduction and development will occupy a large part of the discussion leading up to the UN High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York in September.
• The causes and effects of migration vary according to country and situation, and above all according to gender. Nearly half of the world’s migrants are women and the share of women seems to be increasing. We have to learn more about the gender perspective of migration so that successful gender-sensitive policies can be drawn up and integrated in development policies.
• The Action Plan is a valuable document. It underlines the importance of the ongoing dialogue between Europe and Africa, and paves the way for taking concrete steps based on a common understanding of migration and development.

Finally Mr Chair

• I would like to emphasise that Norway will work to find common ground and interests between countries of origin, countries of transit and countries of destination. The first goal seems to be to adjust the international institutional framework to find the right balance between regulation, control and incentives. We are looking forward to exploring the avenues ahead in the High Level Dialogue on international migration and development in New York September.

Thank you for your attention.

• Action Plan from the conference
• Declaration from the conference