Kathleen Ferrier appointed new Special Representative on Migration

COPENHAGEN, 21 October 2009 -- President Joao Soares has appointed Kathleen Ferrier, a member of the Dutch delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as the Assembly’s new Special Representative on Migration.Ms. Ferrier succeeds Hilda Solis (United States), who was appointed Secretary of Labor by President Obama in the U.S. administration.

Ms. Ferrier said she was honoured by the appointment. “Migration is one of the big challenges of the 21st century. It surely is a challenge for the OSCE countries. It has many aspects, humanitarian and judicial, it has both positive effects and aspects that are harmful to people and societies. It is necessary, even urgent, to approach migration in a coherent way and to work on concrete steps. I look forward to working with all the members so that, together, we can fight the harmful aspects and stress the positive ones of this phenomenon for our people and our societies,” she said. 

The mandate for this appointment stems from Article 93 in the 2007 Kyiv Declaration, which calls for the Special Representative to “examine ways the OSCE and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly can further the development of migrant lab our systems that are humane and meet the economic needs of both labourer and host country.”

Mr. Soares said in his appointment letter that “I agree that is important for the OSCE PA to follow closely and discuss what is being proposed in the international arena on the issue of migration.”

Kathleen Gertrud Ferrier, who was born in Suriname, has been a member of the Dutch Parliament since 2002, representing the Christian Democratic Appeal. In the Parliament, she is a member of the standing committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence as well as on Education, Culture and Science, and Health, Welfare and Sport.

Her pre-parliamentary career includes working for many years as development co-operation expert in Chile and Brazil. She has published a book on migrant churches as well as one on 50 years of development co-operation. Educated in Suriname, the Netherlands, and Mexico, Ms. Ferrier received her doctoral degree in 1984 from the State University of Leiden, specializing in Spanish, Portuguese, and development co-operation.

Mandate: Reporting to the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Special Representative on Migration will:

• Follow the situation and prepare reports regarding Migration movements in general in the OSCE and its Partner States and promote discussion and awareness on migration issues within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly both with participating States and Partners for Co-operation.Serve as the focal point for the Assembly’s participation in events related to migration organized by the OSCE and other International Organizations.
• Communicate with the relevant actors within the OSCE, mainly with the OSCE Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, who work on issues related to Migration.
• Suggest specific lines of action that the OSCE and Member Delegations to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly may undertake to better address migration issues.