PORT VILA, Vanuatu – The Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting (PLMAM) 2023 was officially opened today in Port Vila, Vanuatu by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Hon. Charlot Salwai.

PLMAM is the preeminent regional forum for labour mobility for the Pacific and is established under the PACER Plus Arrangement on Labour Mobility (ALM) to promote regional cooperation and a platform for inclusive dialogue to inform labour mobility policies. PLMAM 2023 takes place from 20-24 November 2023 at the Warwick Le-Lagon Resort in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Hon. Charlot Salwai (seated, second from right) with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Matai Seremaiah (seated, far right), Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Rick Tchamako (seated, far left) with members of the diplomatic corps and PLMAM 2023 participants from Vanuatu and the region.

The Meeting brings together nearly 350 participants including workers, employers, government officials, private sector, unions, civil society, academics and regional organisations, to discuss the theme of "harnessing the development benefits of labour mobility".

"The success of this event would be a testament to the strength of our partnerships and commitment to advancing labour mobility initiatives and addressing the issues collectively in the Pacific region," said Prime Minister Hon. Salwai.

A notable addition to this year's PLMAM is the Pacific Regional Sustainable Reintegration Workshop, a pioneering initiative aimed at exploring and determining a regional approach to leveraging labour mobility to increase the development impact of return migration and reintegration. Reintegration is recongised as a relatively new concept for the Pacific and the workshop provides an opportunity for countries to better understand the dynamics of reintegration, learn from best practices within the Pacific region as well as other regions and determine a regional way forward that can work for the Pacific.

Mr. Roy Lagolago (left), Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit and Labour Mobility Secretariat shakes hands with the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Hon. Charlot Salwai.

"This year's theme of 'harnessing the development benefits of labour mobility' underscores the positive impact that a well-managed labour mobility program can have on participating countries. As we celebrate this collaboration, it is also timely that we reflect on our collective commitments to ensure we maximise our benefits while minimising our challenges," said Prime Minister Salwai.

The Workshop is also supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Office for Migration (IOM) and the World Bank. The PLMAM 2023 will also feature speakers from all key stakeholder groups including workers, private sector, skills development providers, union and government ensuring the inclusivity of PLMAM to address regional labour mobility issues and enhance the development benefits of labour mobility for the Pacific.

For more information on PLMAM 2023, please visit pacerplus.org/events/plmam2023.

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