13/05/2023

The Sustainable Development Festival  the largest Italian initiative to raise awareness and mobilise citizens, the younger generations, businesses, associations and institutions on the issues of economic, social and environmental sustainability. The 2023 edition of the Festival will be held from 8 to 24 May, in presence and online, throughout Italy and the world.

As part of the Sustainable Developmen Festival, LINK 2007 organised a workshop format event on the Migration and Development nexus that will take place on 16 May from 3 to 5.30 p.m. online.

With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the nexus between migration and development is explicitly integrated into international policies, particularly in Goal 10, which focuses on reducing inequalities within and between countries. It is based on the idea that migration and development have an interdependent and multidimensional relationship and that maximising the benefits of this connection requires a multi-level approach and a change of perspective. This level of complexity must never be forgotten and the phenomenon must be approached as a whole. Reading the phenomenon and focusing the debate exclusively on flows to Europe misses the opportunity to actually understand it and effectively direct action.

This is why it is particularly important to frame migration policy in coherence with development policies. Migration processes deeply affect the social, economic and political systems and dynamics on which international cooperation aims to influence.

From an economic perspective, dignified and safe migration processes can be an important element for overall productivity and a benefit to the global economy and the well-being of migrants themselves, who would enjoy improvements in income and life prospects, but also for destination societies and societies of origin. Promoting migration policies that take development processes into account means, for example, adopting more flexible management mechanisms that include training processes and foster the possibility of circular and temporary migration by promoting processes of international movement of people under conditions of dignity and security, as well as enabling a more effective matching of labour supply and demand by companies.

The aim of the event is to propose a reflection on the intrinsic link between migration and development that calls for a holistic approach and a joint effort based on a change of perspective in which all countries and actors cooperate effectively to maximise the benefits of migration for development. In this context, the project ‘Personal fullfillment as an alternative to migration’ will be presented with a focus on current actions and perspectives.

Among the participants invited to the workshop, Min. Plen. Roberto Colaminé Deputy Director DGCS, Gabriele Giuglietti Head of International Development Banca Etica, Antonio Ragonesi Head of ANCI International Relations Area, Daniele Panzeri of the International Organisation for Migration , Sandro De Luca Director CISP, Cleophas Adrien Dioma President Le Réseau, Massimo Pronio Head of Communication of the EU Commission Representation in Italy, and remote speakers will be Caterina Torchiaro Head of International Aid/Cooperation DG INTPA, Filippo Scammacca del Murgo Ambassador of Italy to Cameroon, Stefano Dejak Ambassador of Italy to Mali, Emilia Gatto Ambassador of Italy to Niger and representatives of Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement.

The workshop will consist of interactive interventions by the participants, moderated by LINK 2007 President Roberto Ridolfi, on the LINK 2007 project idea.

The event will be available in live streaming on the LINK 2007 YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnFRlHn1xlYU1zQZKsEYicQ).

HERE the complete press release

See also the article published by Africa Magazine