Timor-Leste is accepted as a new member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The 99th Session of the Council of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) accepted Timor-Leste’s application as a new member of the Organization.
In the beginning of this year, and after ten years working with IOM, Timor-Leste started the process of application as a member of this organization. The IOM Constitution was accepted, and through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zacarias da Costa, a commitment was signed to implement the obligations which result from Timor-Leste’s participation.
During Timor-Leste’s adhesion to IOM, Ambassador Joaquim da Fonseca, from the Permanent Mission for the United Nations in Geneva, expressed the enormous gratitude of Timor-Leste to this organization, for the support given to the Government and for the contribution in national reconstruction. Ambassador Joaquim da Fonseca wanted to highlight that Timor-Leste’s adhesion to IOM is of a special character since it occurred one day after the celebration of the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
In the words of the Ambassador: “As member, Timor-Leste wishes to continue to work with the organization to strengthen its migration management system in order to contribute to the response to the global migration challenges, without needing to compromise the efforts to rebuilt the new nation”.
Along with Timor-Leste, four other countries also saw their adhesion to IOM confirmed: the Republic of Botswana, the Central Africa Republic, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Kingdom of Swaziland.
