On 14 December 2023, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized an event in Vienna to celebrate International Migrants Day. The event took place in partnership with the International Labour Organization and the European University Institute.
OSCE diplomats, policymakers and practitioners active in the field of international migration, experts of migrant labour rights, representatives of the private sector, and academics working on migration narratives engaged in vibrant discussions on pressing policy issues connecting the labour market, demographic change, migration, and education.
Minister Plenipotentiary Hilda Kolevska, representing the 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, underlined: "Effective migration governance is a long and complex task, that is achieved only through international co-operation. At its core, migration reflects the innate desire for individuals to pursue happiness, security, and fulfilment. It is about people - as the motto of our Chairpersonship reads. But it is indeed about work too. May our collective efforts lead to solutions that realize potentials of migration, acknowledge the dignity and agency of all migrants, benefitting the socio-economic fabric of country of origin, destination and transit."
The event, titled "It's about work: Bringing back the interaction of migration, the labour market and economic development in the public discourse", was part of the OSCE-led project E-mindful, funded by the European Commission. The project has helped bring together diverse and multi-pronged perspectives on migration governance and labour migration management. It has generated evidence-based guidance, including some of which was presented during today's discussions, to be used by the European Commission, the OSCE, and ILO constituents. The project has promoted inclusivity in social and economic environments for both migrants and nationals, while encouraging effective policy-making.
The OSCE will continue to facilitate dialogue and co-operation on effective labour migration governance and labour migration management as an integral part of good economic governance.
