Abuja: The Civil Society Network of Migration Development (CSONetMADE) has emphasized that the Revised National Migration Policy 2025 has been instrumental in addressing emerging national, regional, and global migration challenges. Dr. Emeka Chris-Obiezu, the National Coordinator, highlighted this during the thematic Technical Working Group meeting held in Abuja, detailing the role of CSONetMADE, a network comprising over 300 civil society organizations.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the meeting was designed to enhance public awareness and understanding among key stakeholders of the Draft 2025 National Migration Policy and to increase awareness of the Integrated Implementation Plan. Chris-Obiezu pointed out that the policy addresses various realities such as economic pressures, conflict-induced displacement, rising irregular migration, and trends in trafficking in persons.
He outlined the policy priorities, which include facilitating regular migration, labor mobility, and the developmental benefits of migration, all while promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration channels. Additional priorities include protecting migrants’ rights and safety, strengthening an integrated border management system for national security, and promoting dignified return, readmission, and sustainable reintegration.
Chris-Obiezu emphasized the importance of policy engagement in enhancing public awareness and understanding. He stressed the need for institutional comprehension of the policy and the roles of different agencies. The aim is to develop a roadmap that ensures the policy is disseminated within developed institutions and further spread through national and local member engagements.
He acknowledged the existing gap in public understanding of migration issues, noting that more needs to be done to educate people on migration concepts and dynamics. The goal is to achieve successful implementation of the 2025 advanced national migration policy.
Chris-Obiezu also mentioned plans to incorporate substantial capacity building into the policy’s dissemination process. He called for increased cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among state and non-state actors, as well as international partners, to ensure sustainable migration governance. By doing so, migrants’ protection would be ensured, country services would be improved, and migration would be beneficial to all parties involved.
News Agency of Nigeria further reported that the event was organized by CSONetMADE in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.