Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

Ms. Hania Zlotnik, Director of the Population Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs provided an update on global migration issues. She said in these recessionary times, the impact on migrants will be extremely negative.

The United Nations is working to boost actions promised at the Manila Forum in October where 163 countries participated. Mr. Esteban Conejos Jr., Under-Secretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, discussed the "importance of protecting the human rights of migrants and to ensure their security." The Forum underscored shifting away from economic development and brought it back to the actor him/herself--the migrant.

"We focused on the human side of development, " he said. "From the perspective of the individual worker, he or she goes abroad to provide for their family."

Conejos said the focus must be to support and maximize the capacity of the migrant to be self-sufficient. "For the first time in Manila, we saw civil society latching on to the benefits of development." Central concerns include flexibility, and opening market mechanisms to be responsive to the changing economic system.

Zlotnik explained, "Its not the financial crisis per say that is affecting migrants, but the economic changes-unemployment, which tends to affect migrants first."

Countries with the highest unemployed migrants include Spain, and the United States, with hispanic unemployment ranking high for immigrants and non-immigrants. In Mexico, up to September 2008- there were 700,000 illegal migrants trying to cross the border compared to well over 1 million over a year ago. But the numbers are down 40 percent-due to tightened security restrictions and returning illegal migrants.

The amount of monies sent home to families with thus further decrease. Experts in the World Bank show overall estimates to be a slow down in growth of remittances.

The slow down in the economy will also force more migrants in Europe and North Africa to return to countries of origin. This is is the case with Polish workers, since the economy is not doing so poorly with new job creations in the past year. Another example is in Morocco. In Australia and the United Kingdom, the governments are cutting the demand for skilled migrant workers due to the tough economic climate.

Daily Press briefing by Spokesperson

The Security Council discussed the latest developments in Somalia, and agreement by parties have given the peace process hope. Ongoing tensions continue between the President and the Prime Minister. Piracy is still a main concern, with over 120 attacks of robbery reported off the coast of Somalia this year alone. The Security Council also today approved 2, 785 military personnel in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). Ms. Montas, Spokesperson, said "Previous experience with the DRC has shown the answer to the situation is a political solution --a peacekeeping force cannot actually make peace, but we are pleased with the Security Council's decision to send additional forces."

Luis Moreno Ocampo , Chief Prosecutor, demanded arrest warrants of rebel groups in Darfur be presented to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Rebel troop attacked and murdered peacekeepers in April 2007 -- considered a war crime underscored by the Rome Statute of the ICC. Millions of internally displaced continue to be placed in camps, many have poor access to water, and are suffering from illnesses including Blue Nile Diarrhea.

MONUC (United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) is reporting fighting has relatively stopped and it seems rebels are agreeing to a ceasefire at the moment. MONUC has implemented programs for women and children displaced by the crisis. In Afghanistan, the UN is working with recent returnees on Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) has approved 2.1 billion will go to Iceland to help the country restructure and re-stabilize the country's failing system. The IMF has also approved millions in assistance to Lebanon for post-conflict reconstruction.

United Nations representatives are also pushing for climate change deals in countries based on the framework convention.