Koror, Palau – The Republic of Palau addressed its unique migration challenges with a three-day training program, the “Migration Management Course,” held May 7-9, 2024, at the Palau Royal Resort.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized the course for key stakeholders from the Coordinated Border Management Working Group (CBMWG) and other partner agencies, including the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO), the Ministry of Human Resources, Community and Technical Development (MHRCTD), and the Ministry of State (MOS).
The training focused on critical issues surrounding migration governance and policy development in Palau. The island nation faces distinct migration dynamics due to its location, economic status, vulnerability to climate change, and the Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States.
While migration offers potential benefits for Palau’s development, the lack of national policies has hampered effective management.
In response, the “Building Bridges” project, launched in 2023, aims to develop a comprehensive national migration policy for Palau. This initiative seeks to integrate findings from the IOM’s Governance Indicators exercise and prioritize gender considerations. The resulting policy will align with Palau’s broader development strategies, including the National Policy Statement and the Palau Development Plan.
The recent training, based on IOM’s “Essentials of Migration Management” program, equipped CBMWG members and stakeholders with tools to actively participate in policy formulation. IOM experts facilitated the sessions, providing participants with insights into key migration issues such as labor migration, climate change adaptation, and diaspora engagement.
The workshop aimed to foster a shared understanding of migration’s dual nature – both a challenge and an opportunity – and empower stakeholders to contribute effectively to policy development and implementation. Participants emerged from the training prepared to collaborate across government agencies, civil society, and international organizations to advance Palau’s migration governance agenda.
By emphasizing shared expertise, collective learning, and a holistic and participatory approach, the course ensured active engagement from participants, priming them to drive positive change in Palau’s migration landscape.