OTTAWA, Dec. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today concluded his week-long visit to Morocco, where he led the Canadian delegation to the Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). The GCM is the first globally negotiated framework covering all aspects of migration.

Minister Hussen's trip also included a number of meetings with ministerial counterparts from other countries, to strengthen bilateral ties and advance Canadian interests.

At the conference, the Minister spoke to Canada's strong support for the GCM and its key founding principles, including human rights and gender equality. He also spoke of the importance of sharing best practices and experiences.

Following Canada's adoption of the GCM, Minister Hussen held a callback with media where he spoke about the importance of international cooperation in addressing migration. He also dispelled some common myths about the Compact, such as that it infringes on a country's sovereignty and establishes a new right to migrate, and that migration has no benefits.

While in Marrakech, Minister Hussen participated in 2 events co-sponsored by Canada. At the first, co-sponsored with Nigeria, the Minister underlined the role that civil society plays in addressing global migration.

The second event, co-hosted with the International Organization for Migration, explored innovative ways to enhance pathways for regular migration. The Minister spoke about the importance of providing newcomers to Canada with tools to help them succeed in their new communities, highlighting Canada's pre-settlement services, such as the Canadian Orientation Abroad program.

Minister Hussen spoke at a number of other events, including one hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on the migration challenges and opportunities in Africa. The Minister also attended the launch of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's publication on integration indicators, where he spoke about Canada's well-developed integration system and the positive impact of immigration and integration.

As part of his visit, Minister Hussen met with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for International Migration, Louise Arbour; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi; and the European Union Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos; as well as other officials.

The Minister concluded his stay in Marrakech by visiting the Emerging Business Factory, a business incubator, where he toured the facilities and met with young entrepreneurs. He also visited the Ennakhil centre for women, where staff and volunteers provide legal and psychological support to women and children who are victims of violence.

In Casablanca, Minister Hussen visited Espace Bidaya, a social green-tech incubator where he participated in a roundtable with young entrepreneurs and local business leaders. The Minister also delivered remarks at the Université Hassan II de Casablanca, where he promoted the values of managed migration, sharing Canada's experiences with migration and integration.

The Minister concluded his trip with visits to ISMALA and National Public Employment Agency, a key partner in recruiting temporary workers. He also participated in a roundtable hosted by Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc, where he highlighted Canada's positive bilateral relations with Morocco and promoted Francophone immigration and studying in Canada.

Quote

"Global connections are the basis of my visit to Morocco to mark the adoption of the Global Compact for Migration. In today's world, migration is a fact of life. People are moving around the world in larger numbers than ever before. Canada believes that we must continue to build global approaches, not only to address migration, but to encourage innovation and cooperation. Visits like this help build strong partnerships between our governments and our people that not only lead to future successes, but build a safer world for all".

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Associated links:

Follow us:

SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

For further information: Contacts for media only: Mathieu Genest, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-954-1064; Media Relations, Communications Branch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.cic.gc.ca

