I COMIGRAR debate on migrants, refugees and stateless people in Amazonas

migration policies

Conference brought together government and civil society representatives this Monday (4).

Manaus (AM) – Migration policies were on the agenda this Monday (4), at the 1st State Conference on Migration, Refuge and Statelessness (I Comigar/AM), organized by the State Secretariat for Justice, Human Rights and Citizenship (Sejusc). There were around 200 participants, who presented proposals for improvements to the implementation of public policies in Amazonas.

With the support of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Migration Agency (IOM), the conference was held in the auditorium of the School of Technology of the State University of Amazonas (EST/UEA), throughout the day.

Gabriella Campezatto, executive secretary of Human Rights, explained that the state stage is preparatory to the national meeting, II COMIGRAR, which will be held in Foz do Iguaçu, in June.

“Today we are here to list proposals and deliberations from the state of Amazonas and also from the municipalities so that we can take them to a national level. We consider the participation of all municipalities in the conference, to bring precisely what is necessary for the development of public policies throughout the state”,

pointed out the secretary.

The nationality with the highest number of migrants in Amazonas is Venezuelan, followed by Colombian, Haitian and Peruvian. One of the Venezuelans who came with his family and has been in Manaus since 2018, is Roberto D’angelo, who insisted on participating in COMIGRAR, representing the Association of Venezuelans and Refugees in the State of Amazonas (Asoveam).

“We have been working in a non-profit association for several years, just to try to help and minimize the impacts it has on our civilians arriving here in Manaus and we are here at the conference today, because the discussion is very important. Here we will debate respectfully, listen and write a proposal to take to this conference, which is very important”,

assessed the migrant.

Delegates were elected from the meeting to defend the following areas: Equal treatment and access to public services; Socioeconomic insertion and promotion of decent work; Confronting rights violations; Governance and social participation; Migration and document regularization; Interculturality and diversity, which will represent Amazonas at COMIGRAR.

Amazon in focus

Amazonas has received a large number of migrants since 2010, and for Laura Lima, head of the UN Agency for Refugees office in Manaus, state discussions are essential and involve different agents.

“We are in a state that traditionally has an essential role in receiving displacement flows, human mobility in general, but we, the agency that takes care of forced displacement, have Amazonas as a great ally and champion in this work”,

points out Laura.

“We cannot forget that guaranteeing the rights of refugees and stateless migrants is also a way of guaranteeing couriers for everything, this is a transversal issue”,

amends the UNHCR representative.

Paulo Illes, national coordinator of migration policy at the Ministry of Justice, also attended I COMIGRAR in Amazonas and was excited by the audience present and the discussions provided by the diversity present.

This is the third state in which he has participated in the debates and highlights that the Federal Government seeks, through the migration department of the Ministry of Justice, to strengthen ties with governments.

“Our coming here to Amazonas is precisely a sign that we are very interested in working directly with the State Government, with civil society and with the city halls here in this region. The Northern region of Brazil has stood out in recent years for receiving thousands of migrants, the state of Amazonas is today the fifth state that receives the most migration in Brazil, behind only São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná”,

concluded Illes.

The II National Conference on Migration, Refuge and Statelessness will take place on the 7th, 8th and 9th of June, in Foz do Iguaçu and the delegates elected at I COMIGRAR will participate at the expense of the Federal Government.

*With information from consultancy

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