Oceania

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is the Pacific region’s premier political and economic policy organization. The key development framework for the Forum is the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. This crucial document outlines the commitment to ensuring health and wellbeing of Pacific peoples, and to human rights and equity for all. The 2050 Strategy places emphasis on the ocean and land and celebrates Pacific communities, the natural environment, resources, livelihoods, faiths, cultural values and traditional knowledge. 

The Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 9 November issued the 2023 Declaration on the Continuity of Statehood and the Protection of Persons in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise.(external link)

Climate change remains the greatest existential threat to the livelihoods, security, and well-being of the Blue Pacific Continent. The impacts of climate change include sea-level rise which is already affecting Pacific countries.

As the climate crisis deepens, low-lying countries are witnessing significant amounts of their territory being rendered uninhabitable, with some facing the prospect of complete inundation from rising sea level. For many Small Island Developing States, this represents a catastrophic threat to their political, social, economic and cultural fabric and the Pacific Atoll countries are at the frontline of this global climate emergency.

Peer learning exchanges between governments and civil society implementers have

facilitated the sharing of ideas, experiences, knowledge, and challenges on

implementing ATD. Some countries have made significant progress in restricting or

even ending the use of immigration detention for some or all groups of people, while

others are beginning to embark on this journey. While there is no one-size fits all

approach, the sharing of successes and lessons learned means that stakeholders

On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Global Programme on Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change (GP HMCCC) supports its partners in the Caribbean, East Africa, the Pacific, the Philippines and West Africa in better understanding and addressing the complex, multi-causal interrelations between different forms of human mobility (migration, displacement and planned relocation) and climate change.

IOM has a strong history in pre-departure and post-arrival services and works in four areas:
- movement and transportation assistance
- case processing
- health assessments
- overseas language training and/or cultural orientation.
Pre-departure and post-arrival training are integration tools that are increasingly requested by both receiving and sending governments to prepare and facilitate the integration of potential migrants in origin countries.

IOM also conducts research projects to improve knowledge for developing new integration policies or programmes. In Portugal, for example, previous IOM-supported research projects have included a 2006 study of the different levels of socio-economic integration of immigrants across different geographical areas (regions, and major metropolitan areas). The study was part of a wider EU-financed initiative which included research projects in Italy, France, Spain and the UK.

In his report to the 2014 International Labour Conference, the ILO Director-General called for an ILO Agenda for Fair Migration and emphasised the growing concern about abusive and fraudulent recruitment practices affecting migrant workers.

In response to those challenges, in 2014 the ILO launched a global “Fair Recruitment Initiative” to:

• help prevent human trafficking and forced labour

The Inter-governmental Asia-Pacific Consultations on Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migrants (APC) is affiliation of Asia-Pacific governments, who seek regional co-operation on matters relating to population movements, including refugees, displaced persons and migrants. It aims to promote dialogue and explore opportunities for greater regional cooperation on these matters. 

The APC was established in 1996 and is made up of over 30 Member States from Asia and Oceania. 

Since its inception in 2002, the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) has effectively raised regional awareness of the consequences of people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime. It is a forum for policy dialogue, information sharing and practical cooperation to help the region address these challenges. The Bali Process, co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia, has more than 48 members, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization fo