The second meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on Migration began in San Jose yesterday, with interesting proposals that opened the discussion among delegations.

Among the initiatives is the creation of regional consulates in certain parts of the world that deal with the problems of emigrants from CELAC countries, as well as the establishment of mobile consulates to service emigres in distant places.

In addition, the organization of regional consular courses to share knowledge and foster greater integration in this specific activity was proposed, as well as emphasizing the consuls’ humanitarian work.

This annual meeting was preceded by another on August 20 and 21, 2012 in Comayagua, co-chaired by the government of Honduras and Chile, which then held the CELAC pro tempore presidency.

Participants at that event denounced the discriminatory and selective policy applied by wealthy countries against immigrants from poorer nations, who are used as labor in benefit of the developed economies. This was the driving force behind the CELAC agreement to hold these annual meetings: to discuss issues such as immigrants’ human rights, their reintegration into society when they are returned as deportees, and other aspects related to migration.

This meeting is meant to coordinate a common position by the CELAC with a view to the meeting that the United Nations will hold in October on Migration and Development and the high-level dialogue in November between the European Union and Latin America, organizers said.

On behalf of the CELAC pro tempore presidency, ambassador Rafael Daussa, director of Consular Affairs and of Cubans resident abroad, described his country’s experience, with 136 consulates who work very closely with Cuban emigrants worldwide.

Article by Prensa Latina