UK views on the Global Parliamentary Conference on Migration held in Türkiye.
The IPU’s Global Parliamentary Conference on Migration hosted by the Turkish Parliament from 20-21 June 2022 was very well organised and provided a useful opportunity to focus on the issues of global migration that affect all countries in the IPU – whether are source, transit or destination countries for migrants. It was opened by Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and provided a timely focus on the multiple refugee crises the world now faces, including in Europe.
There were high levels of attendance from the Middle East and Africa but participation from European countries could have been stronger. It was therefore important that the UK had a strong cross party delegation attending the meeting comprising Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Lyn Brown MP and John Nicolson MP. The report below reflects the views of Ms Bradley MP and Mr Nicolson MP with another perspective provided in a detailed report from Ms Brown MP.
The UK delegation thought of particular interest were the sessions that looked at migrant routes, particularly in South and Central America, and the sessions that covered the ways that countries can treat migrants with dignity and in line with basic international principles.
Karen Bradley made a contribution on the first day of the conference, calling for the UN to raise the profile of global migration and make the issue the focus of an annual heads of government summit and she stressed the importance of the UK restoring the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on aid.
John Nicholson spoke on the second day lamenting UK Government asylum and immigration policy by highlighting cases involving a vulnerable LGBT+ people in Afghanistan and those fleeing Ukraine where he claimed UK action was falling well short of its rhetoric. He also castigated the current UK policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
There were also some useful engagements in the margins of the conference for the UK delegation on bilateral and other issues with key counterparts, including with Poland and Iraq.
The IPU's Global Parliamentary Conference on Migration hosted by the Turkish Parliament from 20-21 June 2022 was very well organised and provided a useful opportunity to focus on the issues of global migration that affect all countries in the IPU.
