Migration, both within and beyond borders, has become an increasingly prominent theme in domestic and international debates, and is the topic of the 2009 Human Development Report.
- The 2009 Human Development Report for the first time has its focus on migration. It aims at correcting the misconceptions about migration and development and further contribute to better policies that will enhance human development in the world, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Fidele Sarassoro said in his welcoming remarks.
The ceremony included presentations of the report findings and recommendations as well as a panel discussion. 740 million migrants in the world today are internal migrants, whilst 200 million is international migrants travelling across borders. Importantly, less than 70 million of these move from developing to developed countries and less than 1 percent of Africans live in Europe today. And contrary to common beliefs, migrants contribute to boosting economic output in their destination country, according to the report.
The discussion panel debated amongst other things positive and negative consequences of migration, remittances and its development potential and the discussants included the Spanish Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the head of the World Bank in Ethiopia and Sudan, representatives from Addis Ababa University and IOM.
Ethiopia has experienced a steady improvement of its human development index in relation to life expectancy, education and GDP. Still, the panel argued, further development of policies when it comes to losing educated and skilled people to developed countries, and how the diaspora can engage in the development of Ethiopia is necessary. In 2006 Ethiopia established an office for the coordination of information sharing and deepening links with the diaspora, and a remittance transfer system of the National Bank of Ethiopia.
Since 1990, annual Human Development Reports have explored challenges including poverty, gender, democracy, human rights, cultural liberty, globalization, water scarcity and climate change.
To read more about the report or to download it, follow the link to the right.