FUNGLODE /GFDD participate and host UNDP’s Regional Consultation on Migration, Remittances and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 27-28th, 2006

The Consultation, called by the Bureau for Development Policy of the United Nations Development Program, brought together 75 participants, among them country and mission representatives, NGOs and private sector from 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries to discuss the present situation of the remittances sector, its interaction with the migratory flows and how to lead the phenomenon and make it a development tool.

The conclusions of the Regional Consultation will be included in the UN Secretary General report to the High-Level Consultation on Migration, Remittances and Development to be held in New York, September 14-16, 2006.

Remittances represent an enormous transfer of resources from the developed to the developing world and, in many cases, between countries of the South. It is estimated that some $126 billion were transferred in 2004 and $167 billion in 2005, which represents almost double the total amount of the Official Development Assistance.

The participants shared and compared notes, experiences and expectations to direct small percentages of the total volume of remittances to development projects, and how to transform the private experience of receiving subsistence moneys from relatives abroad into a tool to impact the communities, the economies of receiving countries and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

The event was opened by President Leonel Fernández, who explained to the international participants the nature of the Dominican diaspora and the different mechanisms being developed by his government to involve and benefit also the migrants who left the country and work very hard to send money to their relatives. Mr. Nikky Fabiancic, UNDP Country Representative was also present at the opening.

Shoji Nishimoto, Deputy Administrator and Director of the Bureau for the Development of Policy Program and Arun Kahyap, Private Sector Development Advisor to the Capacity Development Group, led the UNDP delegation.

The support and development of the UN System programs is one of the main areas of interest and work of the FUNGLODE/GFDD. Our institution is affiliated to several of the UN Agencies as member of the civil society and hosts the UN Association of the Dominican Republic.

The event had the support of the Ford Foundation and the Pan-American Development Foundation. It also merited the donations of Copa Airlines, VISA and Western Union, which representatives shared and actively participated in the discussions with the rest of participants.

Presentations - Power Point and pdf files

Overview & Expected Outcomes Chronicling Latinos’ diverse experience in a changing America Remittances and Income Inequality and Asset Creation in Mexico Capacity Development Needs of the Diaspora “Remesas Familiares” as measured by the Bank of Mexico Remesas y Desarrollo Económico Importancia de las Remesas Las Remesas Como Instrumento de Desarrollo     La Emigración como Elemento del Desarrollo Humano del País Emisor Género, Migración, Remesas y Desarrollo

Documents

• Recommendations (Spanish) (Word file)

• High School Analysis: Dropout Rate and Competition Rate (Excel file)

• Analysis of Distribution of Public School (Excel file)

• Draft of Outcome Summary Report (Word file)

• Remittances draft declaration (Word file)

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