Marrakesh

Eleventh GFMD Summit Meeting

"Honouring International Commitments to Unlock the Potential of all Migrants for Development"

5-7 December 2018


Palmeraie Palace, Marrakesh

The Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, in their capacity as 2017-2018 Co-Chairs of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), have the honor to invite you, States Members and Observers of the United Nations, and other GFMD Observers, to the Eleventh GFMD Summit Meeting on 5-7 December 2018 in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Eleventh GFMD Summit will be the climax of the two-year Moroccan-German GFMD Co-Chairmanship that spans from 1 January 2017 until 31 December 2018.

The Eleventh GFMD Summit will be opened by High Level officials of the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Government of Germany. It is expected to be attended by Ministers and Vice Ministers from all regions of the world, and a broad range of policy-makers and practitioners in migration and development fields.

From the outset, a central focus of the GFMD 2017-2018 Co-Chairmanship has been on the GFMD’s contribution to the United Nations-led process of elaborating a Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration (Global Compact for Migration or GCM), and the review of the implementation of migration-related commitments in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda through the High-level Political Forum.

In this regard, the first year of the Co-Chairmanship was organized with the central theme, “Towards a Global Social Contract on Migration and Development,” culminating in the Tenth GFMD Summit in Berlin. The second year revolves around the overarching theme, “Honouring International Commitments to Unlock the Potential of All Migrants for Development,” signaling GFMD’s renewed commitment to contribute to the review of migration-related commitments in the 2030 Agenda and to accompany the GCM process.

The intergovernmentally negotiated and agreed GCM outcome document, released on 11 July 2018, invites the GFMD to play an important role in the implementation, follow up and review of the Global Compact. The Marrakesh Summit thus presents a momentous opportunity for the global migration community to reflect on future perspectives for the GFMD with its enhanced role, and to prepare for the adoption of the first ever Global Compact for Migration, which sets out common principles and actionable commitments to ensure a more effective management of migration.

The substantive agenda of the Marrakesh GFMD Summit focuses on three Roundtable (RT) themes, to be discussed in six RT sessions:

Roundtable 1 - From vulnerability to resilience: recognising migrants as agents of development

  • RT Session 1.1. Harnessing the capital of migrants to realise their potential
  • RT Session 1.2. Migrants’ engagement with public services: from basic access to co-production

Roundtable 2 - Regional mobility to promote transferable learning and policy coherence

  • RT Session 2.1. South-South mobility: trends, patterns and transferable learning
  • RT Session 2.2. Regional mobility and policy coherence to support development

Roundtable 3 - Good migration governance for sustainable development

  • RT Session 3.1. Aligning governance with contemporary drivers of migration
  • RT Session 3.2. Beyond Remittances: leveraging the development impact and promoting the transnational engagement of diaspora and migrants.

In line with the decade-long tradition of the GFMD, the three-day GFMD Summit programme will include inaugural and closing ceremonies, Roundtable discussions, special sessions on the GFMD Platform for Partnerships and the Future of the Forum (open to Heads of delegations only), Common Space, GFMD Business Meeting, and side events.

For more details, please refer to the Provisional Programme for 5-7 December and Logistics Note 1 with practical information for participating delegations.

Registration for the Marrakesh GFMD Summit will be coursed through the GFMD Support Unit in Geneva (registration2018@gfmd.org). For logistical considerations, all delegations are encouraged to complete online registration via gfmd.org until 20 November.

The Moroccan-German Co-Chairs look forward to welcoming your government/organization’s delegation to the Eleventh GFMD Summit.

Yours truly,

 

Mr. Götz Schmidt-Bremme

Ambassador for the 2017-2018 GFMD

Co-Chairmanship

German Federal Foreign Office

Mr. El Habib Nadir

Secretary General

Ministry Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in charge of Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs

GFMD 2017-2018 Co-Chairmanship
 

 

All GFMD Focal Points (Governments and Observers) can register to the Summit by logging-in with their pre-assigned GFMD credentials. 

Summit delegates are required to register by 20 November 2018 in order to obtain their accreditation badges that will allow entry to the Summit venue and participation in all official Summit and related activities.

Website

The online registration platform for the Eleventh GFMD Summit is now open and will be accessible until 20 November 2018. This online system allows Summit delegates to update their registration details (hotel accommodation, flight details, session participation, etc.).

GFMD Mobile App

GFMD Focal Points (Governments and GFMD Observers) that have log-in credentials may also register via the GFMD Mobile App. Focal points can recover their credentials here.

Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of the mobile app: (Android | iOS). The app is free of charge.

Paper Registration

In case the online registration process is not feasible, delegates, in coordination with their respective GFMD Focal Points, may download the registration form here. Please complete the registration form and attach a copy of the participant’s passport, which is required for the issuance of an ID badge. Please submit these documents via:

To consolidate all registrations from each government / organization, a Note Verbale must be submitted to registration2018@gfmd.org, specifying all members of the official delegation and clearly identifying the Head of Delegation.

For security reasons, each delegate is required to submit a passport copy to registration2018@gfmd.org

GFMD Focal Points (Governments and GFMD Observers)

To register, GFMD Focal Points are required to login to the GFMD Web Portal or via the Mobile App using their previously assigned credentials. To retrieve your password, click here.

Non-GFMD Focal Points (Governments and GFMD Observers)

To register other delegates who are not GFMD Focal Points, a ‘Registration Key’ is required for each delegate. For coordination purposes, only focal points may request registration key(s) using this application form. The GFMD Support Unit will send the registration key(s) to the requesting focal point by email. The focal point may register the other delegation members using a unique key* for each delegate. Alternatively, the focal point can forward the key to the concerned non-focal point delegate to enable the latter to register directly via this link.

For the list of the GFMD Focal Points, click here.

*The system will not allow more than one delegate to register using the same registration key.

Civil Society

Civil society stakeholders can participate in the GFMD Summit Meeting through the Common Space which will take place on the first day, December 5. To participate in the Common Space and the three-day Civil Society Days on December 4-6, there is a separate registration process (open only until 5 September 2018), which is coordinated by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).  For any questions about the Civil Society Days, please write to contact@gfmdcivilsociety.org.

Private Sector

Interested members of the Private Sector can participate in the GFMD Summit through the GFMD Business Meeting to be held on the second day, December 6. Participants of the Business Mechanism meeting are directly selected by the GFMD Business Mechanism. For any questions, please contact info@gfmdbusinessmechanism.org.

VIPs

Participation of VIPs, including heads of Ministries and Departments, as well as UN agencies and other international organizations, must be announced in writing to germanymorocco2017-2018@gfmd.org for coordination and VIP support.

Others (Panellists, Interpreters, Side event organizers, etc.)

The GFMD Support Unit will provide individual Registration Keys to Summit panellists, interpreters, side event organizers, and those that have a special role in order for them to register for the Summit.

For any assistance, please contact support.unit@gfmd.org.

Summit Programme and Conference Documents

Statements

The three-day GFMD Summit Meeting will be held from 5 to 7 December 2018 at the Palmeraie Conference Center, Marrakesh. It precedes the two-day Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the GCM on 10-11 December in Bab Ighli, Marrakesh. The GFMD Summit will feature the following sessions:             

Inaugural Session (10h00 - 12h30)

The Marrakesh GFMD Summit will be opened by High Level officials of the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Government of Germany. It is expected to be attended by Ministers and Vice Ministers from all regions of the world and hundreds of policy makers and practitioners representing over 100 UN Member States, civil society, the private sector and other relevant organizations.

Common Space (14h00 - 19h00)

Co-organized by the GFMD Co-Chairs and the GFMD civil society, the Common Space serves as a platform for direct interaction between states, civil society and other migration and development stakeholders.  The 2018 Common Space agenda is focused on the GCM implementation. 

The Common Space forms part of the three-day Civil Society Days (CSDs) which will take place on December 4-6. It will serve as an avenue for civil society to present the results and recommendations of its CSD meetings to governments for dialogue and partnerships.

 

Government-led Roundtable (RT) Sessions

Under the overarching theme of "Honouring International Commitments to Unlock the Potential of All Migrants for Development,” six simultaneous and interactive government-led roundtable sessions will be organized. These RT sessions, prepared by government-led teams after a series of consultations in Geneva, are structured around three major themes, systematically mainstreaming human rights, gender perspectives and whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches:

From vulnerability to resilience: recognising migrants as agents of development

  • RT Session 1.1. Harnessing the capital of migrants to realise their potential (10h00 - 12h30)
  • RT Session 1.2. Migrants’ engagement with public services: from basic access to co-production (14h30 - 17h00)

Regional mobility to promote transferable learning and policy coherence

  • RT Session 2.1. South-South mobility: trends, patterns and transferable learning (10h00 - 12h30)
  • RT Session 2.2. Regional mobility and policy coherence to support development (14h30 - 17h00)

Good migration governance for sustainable development

  • RT Session 3.1. Aligning governance with contemporary drivers of migration (10h00 - 12h30)
  • RT Session 3.2. Beyond Remittances: leveraging the development impact and promoting the transnational engagement of diaspora and migrants. (14h30 - 17h00)
    •  GFMD 2018 Roundtable 3.2 Background Paper - Beyond Remittances: leveraging the development impact and promoting the transnational engagement of diaspora and migrants English - French - Spanish
    •  Reporting Notes - RT 3.2

GFMD Business Meeting (17h15 - 20h00)

For the third year in a row, the Business Meeting, which will be organized by the GFMD Business Mechanism, offers a safe space for governments and the business community to share experiences, learn about new trends and developments on linking the business agenda with migration and development policies, network with peers and governments, and influence the business position on global migration issues.

Platform for Partnerships (PFP) Special Session (10h00 - 12h30)

The Marrakesh Summit special session on the Platform for Partnerships (PfP) affords government and non-state partners (international organizations, civil society and the private sector) an opportunity to exchange relevant migration and development policies and practices. Comprised of presentations with interactive Q&A, the PfP session also offers a space for policymakers to adopt and foster new programs and partnerships, and draw from the policy recommendations of the different presenters working in the field of migration and development.

Since 2010, the special session on the PfP in the annual GFMD Summit Meeting has showcased around 35 policies and practices. As a testament to the efforts and concrete initiatives of governments and non-state actors as they continue to search for new solutions to migration and development challenges, the PfP session has become an integral aspect of the GFMD process. Its online component is accessible to the public, and currently contains a database of over 1,000 M&D policies and practices, which are classified according to the migration-related Sustainable Development Goals and GCM themes.

Future of the Forum (FOF) Special Session (10h00 - 12h30)

The Special Session on the Future of the Forum will gather the Heads of Delegations of participating UN Member States to take stock of the milestones reached by the Global Forum since the last GFMD Summit Meeting in Berlin, and to reflect on a collective vision for the GFMD’s future after the adoption of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM).

The session will also shed light on GFMD’s possible areas of improvement, reflect on its outcomes through substantive discussions and policy recommendations that have been established in the framework of the GFMD.

Closing Session (15h30 to 17h00)

The clossing session of the Marrakesh GFMD Summit will showcase the substantive outcomes that will emerge from the Civil Society Days 2018, Rountable Sessions, Business Mechanism and the Common Space. It will also feature the GFMD Co-Chairs' Conclusion and the symbolic handover ceremony of the incumbent GFMD Co-Chairs to the Government of Ecuador for the GFMD 2019 Chairmanship.

The Eleventh GFMD Summit Meeting presents twelve official side events – to be organized independently by proponent governments and non-state partners. Complementing the thematic focus of the six roundtable sessions and the objectives of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), these events aim to highlight the cross-cutting aspects of migration and put forth innovative policy tools and practices adopted by governments and non-state stakeholders.


Thursday, December 6


 

08h30  - 09h45 Room
1 A European-African approach to Migration: how to deliver lasting solutions? - Programme


 


EuroMedA Foundation
Orangeraie
2 A Different Way of Working: The GFMD’s Migration Laboratory as an innovative way to implement global policy frameworks on migration and development - Programme | Banner


 


Germany, Morocco
Oliveraie
3 Global Governance of Migration: A Challenge Beyond the North-South Paradigm – Programme | Flyer | Banner


 


French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), OCP Policy Center
Palmeraie
4 Mutuality and Migrants in Africa – Programme


 


African Union of Mutuality
Roseraie
12h30 – 14h00  
Special Side Event The Road Ahead: Coordination Challenges of Implementing the GCM – Programme


 


German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Roseraie
17h15 – 19h15  
Workshop Les défis et les enjeux migratoires du Maroc, entre l’Afrique et l’Europe - Programme


 


Collectif d’Associations de Recherche et de Chercheurs Marocains


en Migration Internationale
Orangeraie

 


 


Friday, December 7


 

08h30  - 09h45 Room
5 “What role for capacity building in turning the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) into action?” – Programme | Banner | Article


 


Moldova, ICMPD
Orangeraie
6 This event has been cancelled! Oliveraie
7 Making migration a shared concern – Bridging perspectives of academia, CSOs networks, youth, and local authorities – Programme


 


UNESCO (Morocco)
Palmeraie
8 Les Politiques migratoires au Maroc et le Pacte Mondial pour des migrations sûres, ordonnées et régulière – Programme | Concept Note (FR) | Flyer (FR)


 


Morocco
Roseraie
14h00 – 15h15  
9 Education et Migration, enjeux et défis pour le Maroc  - Programme


 


Center for Studies and research in social sciences - Morocco
Orangeraie
10 Tapping into the development potential of migrants in developing countries Programme


 


OECD - Development Centre, European Commission
Oliveraie
11 From Brain Drain to Brain Gain – A Compact for Skills Development and Mobility - Programme | Flyer


 


Bertelsmann Foundation, German-Moroccan Network of Competencies (DMK e.V.)
Palmeraie
12 Safe and Dignified Return and the Economic, Social and Developmental Impact of Sustainable Reintegration - Programme | Banner


 


Egypt, League of Arab States, IOM
Roseraie

Note:  The Office of the SRSG for International Migration is coordinating other side events taking place on the margins of the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the GCM. These side events will be held from 8 to 9 December. Please click this link for more information. 

 

The Eleventh Summit Meeting will be held at the Palmeraie Conference Center in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Address: Route des Jardins de la Palmeraie Marrakech, Morocco 

Website: http://www.palmeraieresorts.com/fr/meetings/

Telephone: +212 (9) 5 24 36 87 60

WiFi connectivity will be available in the entire conference area. There will be complimentary mobile and laptop charging stations.

Simultaneous interpretation services will be made available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. To avail of interpretation headphones, delegates may be asked to present an official photo ID or passport.

There will be no printing or copying facilities available in the conference building.

This Summit is a paperless meeting. Therefore all delegates are requested to bring their own electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets or laptops and to download the GFMD Mobile App (free of charge) onto their devices before the conference. Participants may download the app using the following links:Android | iOS.

The registered delegates may, if desired, bring their own (hard) copies of the background papers and other program related documents. All meeting related documents will be made available on the GFMD website and via the Mobile App.

In order to facilitate distribution of presentations during the meeting, participants are requested to e-mail electronic copies of their presentations to the organizers at least two days before the scheduled presentation via support.unit@gfmd.org.

Breakfast, coffee breaks and lunches will be provided from 5 to 7 December at the conference venue. 

An official dinner will be hosted by the Moroccan Co-Chair on the evening of 5 December 2018. 

A dinner reception will be hosted by the German Co-Chair on the evening of 6 December 2018.

For planning purposes, delegates will be requested to indicate their participation (or non-participation) in both dinners when they register for the GFMD Summit.

The main conference is wheelchair accessible.

Conference Security

The entire venue will be a secured area. Only those with an accreditation badge can access the premises of the conference venue. At the checkpoint, every person will be checked. Therefore, participants are kindly asked to arrive by 09h00 on the first day of the conference.

Distribution Of Badges

The Moroccan GFMD Co-Chair would like to facilitate ease of GFMD Summit badge issuance to ensure that our inaugural program will proceed on time on Wednesday, 5 December 2018. It is strongly encouraged that delegates pick up their badges by Tuesday, 4 December 2018. To this end, all delegates are strongly urged to approach the GFMD welcome desks in the GFMD designated hotels, and obtain their photo badges beginning today. Please note that for security reasons, the GFMD photo badges are barcoded and non-transferable.

The GFMD welcome desks are available in the following hotels --

  • Palmeraie Golf Palace
  • PalmGolf Marrakech Palmeraie
  • Riad Ennakhil
  • Adam Park Hotel
  • Mogador Palace Agdal
  • Mogador Express Gueliz

 

In case delegates are billeted elsewhere, they may go to any of the above hotels to claim their badges, provided they have been duly registered for the Summit Meeting. Alternatively, they can claim their badges on site at the Palmeraie Conference Center from Wednesday, December 5.

Limited financial resources will be available to fund the participation of one (1) government delegate from each Least Developed Country (LDC) and Other Low-income Countries (OLIC) to ensure broader participation. 

The financial assistance to the LDC and OLIC delegates will cover the following:

  • A most direct and cost-efficient economy return air ticket;
  • Hotel accommodation based on actual travel itinerary; and
  • Limited Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) to meet their incidental expenses in Marrakesh, the amount to be determined by the Co-Chairs.

In addition, subject to availability of funds, the Co-Chairs may consider funding one (1) participant each from a few of the low-income developing countries, on a first-come first-serve basis.

The financial assistance to delegates from those low-income Developing Countries will cover the following:

  • A most direct and cost-efficient economy class return air ticket; and
  • Hotel accommodation based on actual travel itinerary

How to apply for Financial Assistance:

To apply for financial assistance, please submit the following documents via email to support.unit@gfmd.org, or via Fax +4122 788 4948:

  • An official written request via a separate Note Verbale indicating the nominee of the government’s funded delegate; and
  • A copy of the participant’s passport.

Requests must be submitted no later than 20 November 2018.

Information about air ticket, flight itinerary, assigned hotels and per diems will be communicated by the GFMD Support Unit to approved funded delegates in due course.

Sponsored Delegates

Hotel accommodation for sponsored delegates will be arranged and communicated separately by the GFMD Support Unit.

Non-Sponsored Delegates

Non-sponsored delegates are responsible for booking and paying for their own accommodation and all related costs during their stay.

Please find below the list of single occupancy rooms with preferential rates that have been provisionally reserved at the hotels by the host government:

GFMD delegates may also book directly with these hotels through the Summit’s online booking platform. The deadline to book in these hotels with preferential rates is Saturday, 20 November 2018.

Delegates are encouraged to arrive at the Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK).

Transportation services (from airport to hotel and back) will be provided only to the above-listed GFMD hotels (also found in Annex C of the logistics note).

For those arriving at the Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), transportation to Marrakesh by train is also possible. For more detailed routes and schedules, please check the national railway operator (ONCF)’s website.

A welcome desk will be set up at the Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) to assist GFMD delegations.

In order to find out if you require a visa, please check the following Guidelines.

Delegates requiring a visa to enter Morocco are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate consular authorities or the nearest Moroccan diplomatic representation.

For participants coming from countries where The Kingdom of Morocco has an Embassy or a Consulate, those are invited to get in touch with the Moroccan diplomatic representations in their respective countries of residence to obtain the appropriate visa, by providing the necessary documents, including a completed visa Form, 2 identity photos (4*3cm), an identity card or of residence, a copy of passport with validity of more than 90 days and the Letter of Confirmation of Participation provided by the GFMD.

Concerning participants who are citizens or permanent residents of countries where the Kingdom of Morocco does not have diplomatic or Consular representation, they are invited to forward the same documents, including the Letter of Confirmation of Participation provided by the GFMD and copies of their passports to the following email address: GFMD2018-visa@maec.gov.ma. Those participants shall be granted visas upon their arrival to the airports of Casablanca and Marrakech.

In order to be able to embark on the flights towards Morocco, these Participants will receive by email a Visa Confirmation Letter that they have to show to the authorities of the airport of departure.

Once logged-in, registered delegates can download their Letter of Confirmation of Participation via this link: /confirmation-registration-eleventh-gfmd-summit

The Kingdom of Morocco, with a population of over 33.8 million, is a unitary sovereign state located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterised by a rugged mountainous interior, large tracts of desert and a lengthy coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Religion and Language

Morocco’s predominant religion is Islam, and the official languages are Modern Standard Arabic and Amazigh (Berber). The Moroccan Arabic dialect, referred to as Darija, and French are also widely spoken.

Highlights

Money

The local currency is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). You may find indicative exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/fr/currency/mad-moroccan-dirham.

Currency exchange services are available at the airport, hotel receptions (for smaller amounts in USD and EU only) and outside the hotels.

Banking Hours

The general banking hours in Morocco are weekdays from about 8h00 to 16h00.

Weather

Average temperatures in Marrakesh in the month of December range from a low of 8 °C to a high of 19 °C.

Security

Morocco is a politically stable country with a robust touristic infrastructure and strong security presence.

Dial Code and Phone Calls

The international dial for Morocco is +212. To make a local call, you must first dial 0.

The three major telephone providers are Maroc Telecom (IAM), Orange and Inwi. You may purchase SIM cards and prepaid data packages at the airport, stores and supermarkets. You may visit this website for more information.

Electricity

Type C and E (220-240 V) are the electrical sockets used. It is recommended to bring adapters/converters.

Medical Services in Marrakesh

Important Numbers

Police: 190

Ambulance: 150

SOS Médecins Maroc (SOS Doctors): (0) 5 24 40 40 40

Train (ONCF): (0) 8 90 20 30 40

Marrakesh Airport: (0) 5 24 44 79 10

Information call: 160

You will find on this link the interactive map showing the location of strategic points, places of interest and hotels used by GFMD Delegates for the 2018 Summit in Marrakesh.

You will find below the indicative distance and travel time from the conference venue.

  Indicative distances from conference venue (Palmeraie Palace) Indicative travel time (by car)
Key Points
Marrakesh Ménara International Airport 13.1 km 26 minutes
Venue of the GCM Conference (Bag Ighli) 11.6 km 22 minutes
Hotels
Hotel Riad Ennakhil 2.6 km 5 minutes
Hotel Adam Park Marrakesh 13.7 km 25 minutes
Hotel Mogador Palace Agdal 13 km 23 minutes
Hotel Mogador Express Gueliz 10.6 km 21 minutes

Media Accreditation

Media accreditation is required to cover the Eleventh GFMD Summit Meeting. Members of the press (print, photo, radio, television, film, news agencies and online media) are invited to cover the Opening Session (5 Dec from 10h00 to 12h30) and Closing Session (7 Dec from 15h30 to 17h00) of the Summit.

Delegations that intend to bring media representative(s) must ensure that the latter is duly accredited. Please download the Media Accreditation Form and Media Advisory for the guidelines on the accreditation process. All required documents must be submitted to support.unit@gfmd.org on or before 20 November with the subject: “Media Accreditation – Eleventh GFMD Summit (Name of Media Agency).”

Please stay tuned for the daily GFMD Digests with the highlights of Summit activities to be posted here on 5-7 December.

Photos of the Summit comming soon....

For general inquiries about the Eleventh GFMD Summit Meeting (logistics, administrative, coordination, etc.) please contact the GFMD Support Unit via email support.unit@gfmd.org or telephone: +4122 788 49 46 / +4122 788 49 47.

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