ADB EXPERTS PITCH REGL COOPERATION TO DRAW MIGRATION’S BENEFITS

IN order for countries to maximize the benefits of migration, experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said there is a need to address the needs of migrants through greater regional cooperation.

In an Asian Development Blog, ADB experts led by Social Development Thematic Group Chief Wendy Walker said the needs of migrants are diverse, enduring, and cannot be addressed by a single country alone.

Regional cooperation is needed in facilitating the free flow of productive labor across labor through a mutual recognition of skills as well as social protection, especially for forcibly displaced persons.

“Migration in the Asia-pacific region is not a temporary, infrequent, or episodic phenomena requiring only crisis and wellmeaning palliative responses,” the authors said.

“It is bigger than that. It is more diverse and enduring. It is not an issue that one country can handle alone. It requires regional cooperation,” they added.

The authors said migration benefits sending countries through remittances while host countries benefit through the steady supply of labor which helps them attract foreign investments.

They said cooperation can also mitigate human trafficking and reduce the prevalence of abuses and health risks moving across borders.

“As the region transitions from the Covid-19 emergency to a sustainable and inclusive recovery, there are a number of particular migration opportunities and challenges that would benefit from cross-border collective action,” they said.

To reap migration benefits, they said a mutual recognition of skills as included in regional trade and investment agreements should be reached in the Asia-pacific region.

This means expanding the mutual recognition of industry skills and professional qualifications. An important aspect of this is to avoid “a complex ‘web’ of bilateral agreements” on skills and professional qualifications through a regional agreement that can be applied to all.

They also cited a need to strengthen social protection for both economic migrants and those who were forcibly displaced from their homes.

The authors said all migrants face major legal and practical obstacles in accessing social protection benefits. This means governments must do better to ensure they receive equal treatment.

“Governments should ensure equality of treatment or establishment of national social protection benefits for migrant workers. Also needed are streamlined procedures to acquire portability of social protection or access to new sources,” the authors said.

Further, there is a need to address policy gaps or strengthen enforcement of existing worker protection frameworks in destination countries.

This can prevent an economic migrant from being caught in a contracted labor arrangement where he/she is forced to work.

Other efforts include widening the impact of remittances. One way to do this is to use remittance receipts to assess a low-income household’s creditworthiness.

The authors also said there is a need to promote micro savings and microinsurance which will enhance financial inclusion for the poor.