Reply to the 25th report on the activities of the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) (1 January 1986-31 December 1987)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 15 March 1989. See Doc. 5913, 25th report of ICM and Doc. 6019, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography, Rapporteur : Mr Altug.
- Thesaurus
The Assembly,
1. Having examined the 25th report on the activities of the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) for 1986-87 (
Doc. 5913) and the report by its Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography in reply thereto (
Doc. 6019) ;
2. Noting with satisfaction that, since its creation in 1951, ICM has taken charge of more than 4 million migrants and refugees, without regard to their legal status, from the time when they had completed the required formalities in their countries of origin or of transit until they had resettled in the host countries ;
3. Noting the changes made in May 1987 by the ICM Council to the Constitution, in order to take account of the development of the organisation which, although pursuing its original objectives, has greatly diversified its activities and broadened its geographical terms of reference ;
4. Observing that the new ICM Constitution will not come into force until two-thirds of the thirty-five member states have accepted the amendments, in accordance with their national constitutional procedures ;
5. Noting that, under its new Constitution, ICM provides states and international organisations with a worldwide forum for discussing and studying international co-operation on migration issues ;
6. Noting with satisfaction that, in 1986 and 1987, ICM took charge of and moved more than 225 000 refugees, nearly 60% of whom were from South-East Asian countries ;
7. Welcoming the co-operation between ICM and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ;
8. Stressing the importance of ICM aid to de facto refugees and displaced persons who, falling outside the mandate of the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, are not entitled to help and protection from UNHCR ;
9. Noting that the projects set up by ICM for migrants as part of the programmes for the transfer of qualified human resources, the return of talent and migration for development are tangible examples of North-South solidarity ;
10. Considering that ICM's involvement in Latin America bears witness to the importance which the organisation's member states attach to the development of countries in that continent ;
11. Welcoming the co-operation established between ICM and the Council of Europe at parliamentary level, through the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography, and also at intergovernmental level, through the European Committee on Migration (CDMG) ;
12. Noting that many political leaders in the member states have a very limited knowledge of ICM activities ;
13. Noting that the funding of ICM operations, accounting for more than 90% of the organisation's budget, is effected through contributions in cash or in kind or in the form of services provided by ICM member states, other states, international organisations or private individuals ;
14. Anxious that the governments of the ICM member states should increase their contributions to the operational part of the ICM budget so that more migrants and refugees may be assisted by the organisation ;
15. Repeating the call it made in
Recommendation 1054 (1987) to its members to engage actively in publicising and supporting ICM's action, both within national parliaments and vis-à-vis governments,
16. Urges the governments of ICM member states :
a to ratify the amendments to the ICM Constitution as soon as possible, if they have not already done so ;
b to set aside larger contributions for the operational part of the ICM budget ;
17. Invites the Governments of France, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Turkey, which take part in ICM's work as observers, to examine the possibility of becoming full members of the organisation so as to benefit fully from the assistance and services offered by ICM ;
18. Invites the Governments of Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein and Malta to take part in ICM's work as observers so as to familiarise themselves with the organisation, with a view to future accession.
