SPECIALISED TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (STC)
ON MIGRATION, REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS
2ND ORDINARY SESSION
MINISTERS MEETING
20 – 21 OCTOBER 2017
Kigali, Rwanda

Theme: “Opportunities for Migration and Free Movement of Persons in
Africa and Mitigating Challenges”

STATEMENT OF HON. MOHAMED SALEM OUID
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF
SAHARAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC AND
CHAIR OF THE 1ST STC ON MIGRATION, REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

Your Excellency Representative of the Government of Rwanda,
Your Excellency Chair of the 2nd STC
Honorable Ministers of different countries attending this 2nd STC at Ministerial Level
Your Excellency Md. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union,
Your Excellency Md. Amira Elfadil Mohammed, Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union
Distinguished Delegates,
Members of Diplomatic Corp,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my honor to address you at this important meeting of the 2nd Specialized Technical Committee on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.

Honorable Ministers, as the outgoing Chair of the 1st STC on Migration, Refugees an Internally Displaced Person, I am happy to present to you an STC that is large in size, vibrant, all inclusive and a highly committed STC.

I wish to highlight for your appreciation the achievements of the 1st STC as follows:-
- We successfully established the STC in November 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- It was during our tenure that the AU Summits discussed and adopted several decisions on Free Movement and better management of Migration both at the level of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and at the level of the Executive Council. This resulted in the launch of an African Passport that took place in July 2016 here in Kigali.
- We were able to adopt a Common African Position on Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa, which was presented in Istanbul, Turkey during the World Humanitarian Summit in March 2016
- We were able to mobilize and develop a Common African Position in preparation for Valletta summit on Migration
- We also adopted an African Union Humanitarian Policy Framework which now guides the activities of our Union.
- We were able to steer the preparations of the of this 2nd STC meeting including the documentations prepared for this meeting.
- As you are aware the Bureau meets at an ordinary session once in 2 years. During the year that the STC is not meeting, the STC was able to meet at the Bureau level in November 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. I want to stress that I found this in between meeting very useful as it enabled us to remain in touch with the commission and their activities. I therefore wish to strongly recommend such in between meetings with the Commission before the ordinary session of the 3rd STC in 2019.

Honorable Ministers,
Allow me at this point to thank most sincerely the members of the Bureau that I have worked with for these last 2 years. Honorable Minister of Mali, I appreciate your kind support as the 1st Vice Chair of my Bureau, Honorable Minister of Lesotho, I appreciate your kind support as the 2nd Vice Chair of my Bureau; Honorable Minister of Uganda, I also appreciate your kind support as the 3rd Vice Chair of my Bureau and the Honorable Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo, I appreciate your kind support as the Rapporteur of my Bureau. This Bureau worked together very closely and has delivered concrete achievements for the STC.

I also want to commend the African Union Commission under the leadership of my 2 sisters, Commissioner for Political Affairs and Commissioner for Social Affairs. They together with their staff have worked hard, showing total commitment and dedication in servicing our STC and making sure that the STC achieves its mandate.

At this point I want to congratulate the new Chair of the 2nd STC and wish to assure you of my support in steering the activities of the Bureau. I also avail myself to the Bureau should you need me in any area of the activities of the Bureau. I want to assure you that you will find the subject matter of the STC intellectually stimulating, but most importantly, they are real issues affecting the lives of our African brothers and sisters and therefore the contribution that you make as an STC goes a long way in touching lives.

Honorable Ministers,
Let me conclude by thanking most sincerely the government and the people of Rwanda for your kind hospitality and all facilities that you have accorded to all delegations since their arrival in this beautiful city of Kigali.

I wish the 2nd Ordinary Session of the STC on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons all success in our deliberations.

I thank you for your attention.