Opening Remarks by Klaus Rohland: Migration and Remittances

Klaus Rohland,
World Bank Country Director for Russia

Greetings to representatives of the participating countries!

We are pleased with the outcome of GDLN dialogues over past half year with representatives of government, CSO, academia of 6 CIS countries where common interests shared and challenges discussed in an open and frank manner for everyone’s mutual benefit.

Bank is glad to have played a facilitating role in encouraging that dialogue which has led to a study tour to the Philippines in which several of you here today have participate, as well as this conference of course.

Conference comes at a time of usefulness given the global economic crisis and heightened concerns about migration and the fate of labor migrants.

We hope conference the provides an open forum for further discussion and a meeting of the minds, and the opportunity to develop a vision that goes beyond the current crisis.

We also hope the conference will lay out the bases for cooperative initiatives to turn challenges into opportunities for migrants as well as their hosting and home countries.

Here at the Bank we look forward to continued collaboration with the range of government, CSO and other stakeholders in this important issue.