NCFRMI Begins Consultative Process On Migration Agreement Review

The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, yesterday said the outcome of the national review of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) in Lagos would form the country’s position at the international review forum in New York, United States next month.

The GCM is the first inter-governmental agreement covering international migration holistically.

According to her, the consultative process is meant to review and take stock of the implementation of the GCM as a nation, and to prepare for the regional and the International Migration Review Forum.

Addressing United Nations Country Team and other development partners in the migration sector in Lagos, Sulaiman-Ibrahim added that the adoption and institutionalisation of the GCM and its 23 goals resulted in the creation of a National Action Plan for GCM implementation.

The Commissioner said the nation has also had the opportunity to review various migration-related policies and instruments, including the National Diaspora Policy, the National Migration Profile, the National Policy on Labour Migration and its implementation Action Plan, and the National Migration Policy’s implementation Plan.

She said: “It is heart-warming that we are all here again, in Lagos where it all began in 2017, for another consultative process to review and take stock of our implementation of the GCM as a nation, to prepare for the regional reviews and the International Migration Review Forum holding in May 2022, New York.

“I am pleased to report that the adoption and institutionalisation of the GCM and its 23 goals resulted in the creation of a National Action Plan for GCM implementation.

“A template had already been shared to aid our review and I believe we have had the opportunity to go through them and make our inputs as government and non-government actors working together in the field of migration and development.

“It is therefore hoped that our individual and collective contributions will lead to a successful Voluntary National Review in New York in May.”

While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for the political will and enabling environment that has enhanced the activities of NCFRMI, Sulaiman-Ibrahim appreciated the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, whom she said had given her over 100 per cent support.

Representative of the Minister, Abubakar Suleiman, stated that Nigeria did not only participate actively in the adoption of the GCM document but also demonstrated its commitment to its implementation by being one of the first countries to start the implementation process after its adoption, which earned Nigeria the position of being selected as one of the GCM Champion Countries.