The Union of Ambassadors held a press conference on Tuesday February 28 at the ROOTS restaurant on the 2nd edition of Connect223 announced for Thursday March 9 at the Grand Hotel in Bamako.
“Migration, Youth: together let’s build the future of Mali” is the theme of the 2023 edition of the meeting initiated by the Union of Ambassadors as part of Connect223 on migration in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration ( OIM) and the government of Mali.
The holding of this edition, the 2nd of its kind, is scheduled for March 9 at the Grand Hotel in Bamako as a prelude to which the initiators were in front of the media to explain this project.
This conference was moderated by Ms. Aninta DICKO, program manager at the IOM; Ms. Yasmine CISSE, Vice-President of the Union of Goodwill Ambassadors, in the presence of the Technical Advisor of the Ministry of Malians living abroad and African integration, Dr. Broulaye KEITA.
Yasmine CISSE indicated during her speech that the event expected on March 9, which is an opportunity to bring together actors, marks a stage in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the global pact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Then, she explained the Connect223 created in 2019 by the IOM is a moment of exchange between migration actors for youth and the private sector in order to highlight innovative and inspiring paths, projects, mechanisms.
To this end, according to her, the Connect223 aims to work or rework the narrative around migration.
“Connect223 will allow us to develop our approach and support for migration in general through different paths and different stories,” said Yasmine CISSE.
For her part, the Head of Programs of IOM-Mali clarified that through this approach, they want to inform the public about migration issues and draw the attention of leaders, decision-makers and young people to the challenges. , the challenges, but also the opportunities of migration. Because, she argued, migration is also positive.
Also, Mrs. Aninta DICKO recalled, it is a question of promoting, facilitating and supporting a debate, but also a positive dialogue around migration issues, while sharing best practices and favorable conditions for migration.
Mali, noted Aninta DICKO, is a country of departure, transit and destination for thousands of national and foreign migrants. And for good reason, she continues, (833,845 flows of migrants, 391,845 incoming flows and 442,343 outgoing flows) were recorded in the points followed by the flows of population movements established by the IOM in Mali.
On the program of this meeting, a series of conferences in the style of ”Ted Tallk” is planned.
“In front of an audience made up of young students and professionals, the speakers will tell their stories by emphasizing aspects that value the contribution of migration to the development of Mali as well as the contribution of young people who choose to stay”, announce organizers.
Besides, it is envisaged the living room of the implementation of the PMM for the development. According to them, it will be a framework for exchanging information between young Malians from different structures. This is how the fair will bring together major players in the migration ecosystem from government structures, United Nations system agencies, embassies, civil society organizations, academics, schools of entrepreneurs…
BY SIKOU BAH