- CELAC SPECIAL DECLARATION ON MIGRATION
The Heads of State and Government of Latin America and the Caribbean, on the occasion of the VIII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held on March1, 2024, in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
Aware that the Latin America and Caribbean region is experiencing increasing migratory flows involving all countries in the region at different stages of the migratory journey and to a large number of people who, for various reasons, live outside of the country of their birth. It is an obligation and responsibility to continue to highlight the positive impact of migration in our countries.
Since the 7th Summit in January 2023 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) have reaffirmed the need to continue addressing the multidimensional causes of migration to advance in a regional agenda for better managing the international migration in Latin America and the Caribbean.
We reiterate our interest in strengthening cooperation and coordination to address the structural challenges of migration in the region and its relationship with sustainable development, as well as achieving safe, orderly and regular migration jointly managed between the countries of origin, transit, destination and their respective voluntary return based on full respect and promotion of the human rights of migrants regardless of the migratory status and prioritizing at all times the wellbeing of peoples and host communities, making migration a factor for development, cooperation and regional integration.
We reaffirm that the region must move forward with a coordinated and concerted agenda among the countries of origin, transit and destination, which includes risks related to migratory flows such as trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling, which is why we highlight the need to apply measures for prevention, combat, persecution, judicialization and protection of victims of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, ensuring access to justice and the guarantee of their rights, creating spaces and conditions for their security.
We express our commitment to combatting racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and related intolerance against migrants and promoting their full integration into host countries.
In the context of regional consultative processes, we call for the promotion of open, inclusive, and transparent dialogue on migration matters in accordance with national legislations and to coordinate and articulate the work carried out in all of them to maximize resources and not to duplicate efforts.
