La Embajadora de Colombia en Trinidad y Tobago, Martha Cecilia Pinilla Perdomo, en su discurso durante el lanzamiento oficial de la Red de las Naciones Unidas para la Migración en Trinidad y Tobago (UNNM-TT por sus siglas en inglés), el 17 de octubre, en Puerto España, manifestó que Colombia es vista como un país modelo para migrantes y asuntos migratorios.

La Embajadora Pinilla Perdomo también resaltó las ventajas de contar con tal acompañamiento para abordar los desafíos que trae la migración y sus efectos positivos. En el caso colombiano, el trabajo en grupo esta facilitando, recibir y registrar al menos dos millones de venezolanos que viven en diversas regiones de Colombia y necesitan ser integrados en nuestra sociedad e indicó que para los Estados receptores y sus instituciones nacionales, el trabajo armónico con autoridades locales, organizaciones internacionales y organizaciones no gubernamentales, expertos en la materia, es una alianza gana-gana. 

Al evento asistieron los honorables ministros de Relaciones Exteriores de Trinidad y Tobago, Amery Browne, de Planeación y Desarrollo Urbano Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, de Trabajo y Desarrollo Social, Stephen Mc Clashie, de Desarrollo Social y Servicios Familiares, Donna Cox, representantes de las Agencias de las Naciones Unidas, la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones y cuerpo diplomático acreditado en Trinidad y Tobago, entre otros. 

Vea aquí el discurso de la Embajadora (en inglés) y las fotos del evento completo:

Remarks Ambassador Martha Cecilia Pinilla – Perdomo at Launch of the United Nations Network on Migration in Trinidad and Tobago. October 17^th, 2022.

H.E. Doctor Amery Brown Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs

Ministers of Planning and Development, Social Development and Family Services and Minister of Labour.

Chief Immigration Officer

Other Government Officials

Ambassadors, Charge d’Affaires and Representatives

UN Agencies

Friends,

I have had the honor to be asked by the International Organization for Migration in Port of Spain to address you on this very special occasion to share my views regarding the establishment of a United Nations Network on Migration mechanism and the benefits that it brings to a country and the migrants themselves.

Colombia is viewed as a model country for migrants and migration matters, having the International Organization for Migrants in Bogota which also supported the establishment of a similar network in my country.

It has facilitated the management of at least 2 million Venezuelans that are living in diverse regions of Colombia and that need to be integrated into our society.

Although vast migration is a challenge for any country in the world, it also brings positive effects for the hosting society and even more if it is welcomed, organized, adapted and integrated into the local community.

Migrants are characterized for being creative and having the strength to be able to go to a new world, capable of executing their ideas. Many of them are well educated in technical and professional knowledge that may supplement the local capacities. They are also consumers and tax payers if they are regularized. 

I remember my anthropology professor at university who taught her students that those first communities of people who in ancestral times did not mix, tended to disappear. Instead, those who were keen to mingle, evolved much easier.

For the receiving countries and their national institutions, to be able to work in a harmonic way with the local authorities; as well as Non-Governmental Organizations that are experts in the matter and the international community that manages the different aspects of migration implications, this is a win – win partnership.

Such a mechanism helps to design and implement a strategy to seek solutions that may transcend time and be adapted to the changing of the dynamics of the migratory phenomenon. It also helps the hosting country to receive, not only multilateral and more efficient technical and financing cooperation, but also bilateral solidarity.

It is important also because substantial migration brings new challenges in diverse areas such as: registration, temporary shelter, emergency health services, and feeding at the first stage. Then, for those that need to stay for a longer time, issues like regularization, housing, public utilities, labour, education and permanent health services are important matters to be attended to.

In the case of Colombia, a WORKING GROUP integrated by agencies of the United Nation System, national and local governmental institutions and Ngo’s was established, with the support of the International Organization for Migration which allowed them to work together matching each other.

The benefits for the migrants are countless, but I may summarize them briefly:

An organized migration system to receive and integrate those, who for diverse reasons have had to leave behind their countries, belongings, friends and, in many cases, their families, gives them back their dignity as the Human Beings that they are, assuring them respect and guaranteeing them their Human Rights.