Future Directions of Myanmar Migration

In February 2017 the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MoLIP), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly organized a workshop on "Future Directions of Myanmar Migration: Challenges and Opportunities for Development" in Nay Pyi Taw. This workshop provided an important opportunity for government and non-government stakeholders to exchange ideas on recent migration trends in Myanmar and in the region and their implications for development. More specifically, the workshop aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities created by migration in addition to exploring effective solutions to enhance the benefits and minimize the risks of migration for development. The workshop also sought to enhance participants’ understanding of available policy frameworks; particularly the National Plan of Action for the Management of International Migration and elicit recommendations from participants for its further development, especially in the area of migration and development.

The workshop brought together representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MoLIP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (MoSWRR) and relevant members of parliament. Other participants included representatives from the private sector, the UN, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and think tanks.

The workshop covered the following sessions:

1. Myanmar in a World on the Move: Global, Regional and National Migration Patterns and Trends

2. Trade, ASEAN Integration and Migration: Opportunities and Challenges for Myanmar Migration

3. Labour Migration in a Myanmar Context

4. Migration and Development

During the workshop proceedings, a number of recommendations were made to enhance migration management to improve the linkage between migration and development and migration in Myanmar. These recommendations can be found in this publication.