Members of the Migration Advisory Board with the DG William Lacy Swing, DDG Laura Thompson, Chief of Staff Ovais Sarmad and Deputy Chief of Staff Clarissa Azkoul

 

The high level Migration Advisory Board (MAB), convened by International Organization for Migration Director General (DG) William Lacy Swing, held its first meeting in Geneva this week (7 May 2015).

The MAB, which will meet twice a year, advises the DG on contemporary and emerging migration trends with the stated purpose of enhancing IOM’s capacity to proactively identify and react to current and emerging migration trends with a view to providing an independent and objective insight into the direction of the organisation.

Welcoming the board members, Ambassador Swing said: “As we face multiple challenges across the world, not least the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean and the earthquake in Nepal, I am pleased to convene this august gathering today and very much look forward to the board’s guidance and advice which will help ensure the organization that I am honoured to lead, continues with unstinting dedication and effort to promote humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all.”

Although MAB members are selected from different spheres including academia, business, civil service, and politics, they are, however, appointed because of their individual expertise and do not represent their country of residence or the organization they are affiliated with.

Members of the MAB are (in alphabetic order):

  • H.E. Ms. Eva ÅKERMAN BÖRJE, Ambassador, Secretariat for the Swedish Chairmanship of the Global Forum on Migration and Development Government Offices of Sweden
  • Mr. John K. BINGHAM, Head of Policy, International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
  • Ms. Anne T. GALLAGHER, UN Adviser and Legal Practitioner on Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking
  • Prof. Ian GOLDIN, Director, Oxford Martin School
  • Mr. Md. Shahidul HAQUE, Foreign Secretary, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
  • Prof. Rainer MUENZ, Head, Group Basic Research, Erste Group Bank, Vienna, Austria
  • Ms. Kathleen NEWLAND, Co‐Founder, Director, Migrants, Migration and Development Program, Migration Policy Institute
  • Secretary Imelda NICOLAS, Cabinet Secretary, Chairperson Commission on Filipinos Overseas
  • H.E. Ms. Roza OTUNBAYEVA, Former President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
  • Ms. Maria Teresa ROJAS, Director of the International Migration Initiative, Open Society Foundations
  • Mr. Peter SUTHERLAND, Special Representative of the Secretary General for International Migration and Development
  • Dr. Huiyao WANG, Founder and President, Center for China and Globalization; Counsellor, China State Council Counsellors' Office