PNG attends migration meet

TWO Papua New Guinea representatives have taken part in training on data collection on migration and development and data management software organised in by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration in Dakar, Senegal.
The training is the first of a series of capacity-building and research activities aimed at improving knowledge on South-South migration.
PNG is one of the 12 pilot countries where the ACP Observatory on Migration is implementing activities.
The ACP Observatory is an initiative of the ACP Group of States, empowered by the International Organisation for Migration, funded by the European Union and with the financial support of Switzerland.
“Its objective is to assist ACP countries improve their knowledge on South-South migration,” director Laurent de Boeck said.
As one of the pilot countries, Papua New Guinea has organised a National Consultative Committee that includes representatives from government agencies, research institutions and the civil society working on
migration issues.
This committee has defined PNG’s migration research and capacity-building priorities.
Oku Daroa from the National Statistical Office and Wellington Navasivu from the Immigration and Citizenship Service attended the ACP Observatory first meeting on data collection in Dakar from April 11-15.
The training focused on improving migration-related data collection mechanisms to improve knowledge
on migration and help the government on planning and policy development.
 “This activity is a great opportunity to foster the harmonisation of data collection mechanisms and create a wide network of migration specialists in ACP countries,” Solomon Kantha of the ACP Observatory in Papua New Guinea said.
The Dakar meeting will be followed by other regional workshops in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
National follow-up trainings will take place in all pilot countries to ensure all relevant stakeholders receive training on migration related data collection procedures.