28 September 2010: The Director of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States Observatory on Migration, Laurent de Boeck, stated that improved management of South-South migration can contribute positively to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

De Boeck pointed out that migration flows both between and within developing countries are driven by a variety of motivations, including the search for job opportunities, family reunification, the impact of conflicts and natural disasters, and the effects of climate change. He stressed that migration can be considered a survival strategy, which also lessens pressure on natural resources as people migrate away from overpopulated areas. He further underscored that environmental conditions have a decisive impact on migration patterns in many regions of the world, especially because of the effects of climate change. De Boeck concluded that South-South migration can support achievement of the MDGs if it can be managed to enhance migration’s positive effects and limit its negative impacts.

The ACP Observatory on Migration is an initiative of the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States, empowered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and funded by the EU and Switzerland. [ACP press release]