JOINT DECLARATION, MEETING OF THE
MINISTERS OF MESO-AMERICAN COUNTRIES

Mexico City, January 9th, 2006

For centuries, men and women have migrated across international borders, contributing to both the communities of origin and the receiving communities. Despite the fact that the flow of people from one country to another, or even within one country, has remained a constant, never before has the migration phenomenon been studied and debated as thoroughly as it is now.

Since 1965, migrants around the world have accounted for approximately 3 percent of the total population, representing roughly 175 million people according to the latest United Nations figures.

Nevertheless, current migration dynamics have increasingly gained importance in world forums and especially in the internal agendas of the States, thus becoming a highly sensitive issue, since its social, economic and political consequences have become more evident over the last decades.  

There are many diverse reasons for migration that respond to the factors present in receiving countries (such as the economic growth of developed countries and the aging of the population, among others), to the weather conditions, and to the increasing contact between already established communities and their countries of origin.

Nowadays, almost no country or region in the world remains unaffected by the migration phenomenon and its consequences. Population structures between developed and developing countries, economic asymmetries between nations, growing economic interdependence and intense relations and exchanges between countries, are variables that stimulate migratory flows and their impacts.

Globalization has therefore contributed to the growth of migration and to clearing many of the obstacles to the movement of persons across international borders. However, as a response to this increase, many countries have strengthened their migration regulations, causing the free movement of persons to significantly lag behind the exchange of goods and services.

The population dynamics between Latin American countries and the United States, the growing contact between communities and families, and a still very large gap in income levels make it necessary to improve the administration of the migratory phenomenon.

Likewise, in recent years and in the face of new threats to collective security, such as terrorism, transnational organized crime, the smuggling and trafficking in persons and the falsification of documents, the association between migration and security has become one the greatest challenges faced by our societies.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high officials gathered today in Mexico City, taking into consideration the Declaration of Mar del Plata: “Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance,” of November 5th 2005:

 

Likewise, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high officials of the governments here assembled consider:

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high officials gathered today have created a working group to share points of view and information on the best practices in this regard, as well as to work with one another and with other governments in the construction of policies that would make it possible to better manage the migration phenomenon.

 

Mexico City, January 9th, 2006.