Hon Jonathan Coleman and Ambassador William Lacy Swing Speak with Former Refugees in Nelson
When the Director General of the world’s leading intergovernmental organisation on migration came to New Zealand in July to meet with government and learn about New Zealand’s refugee resettlement programme, the visit was significant not just for those involved in the refugee resettlement sector but also for former refugees themselves. As part of his trip, Ambassador William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organisation for Migration, travelled to Nelson with Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Immigration, to speak with former refugees in the Nelson area, offering them the rare opportunity to ask questions and share challenges faced by their communities with the leader of an international authority on refugee and migrant issues. The visit also acknowledged the importance of New Zealand’s refugee resettlement programme within a wider international context.
For Ambassador Swing, the meeting was more than just an opportunity to give attendees information about IOM and his role with the organisation. It was also a chance for him to share his own personal connection to and knowledge of refugee and migrant issues. Ambassador Swing worked as the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, leading all facets of the largest UN peacekeeping operation in history, as Special Representative to the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, and most recently as the Director General of IOM, the leading international organisation for migration. However, his personal experience living for much of the year in Kuala Lumpur and the trips that he has made to visit a number of refugee camps in Nepal were what connected him to the group of attendees at the meeting.
“Many of the former refugees at the meeting were from Bhutan and had spent years in refugee camps in Nepal, while others were members of the Chin community who had lived in Malaysia after fleeing their home in Myanmar,” says Refugee Services’ Nelson Manager Gabrielle Humphreys. “It was a privilege for all of us to speak with someone who not only holds such a senior position on an international level, but who also has an understanding of where many of the attendees have come from. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge when it comes to refugee and resettlement issues, and we are very grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with him.”
Minister Coleman focused his address on his ongoing commitment to supporting former refugees in New Zealand and the importance and continuing development of government’s new Refugee Resettlement Strategy, with particular focus on the expectations of and pathways to employment. At the end of his speech, the Minister opened the floor to questions and invited attendees to discuss some of the issues they were facing. Most of the concerns raised by the community members were related to challenges around learning English and employment, including access to appropriate work-related language classes, provision of sufficient language classes to enable them to reach the proficiency required to enter a competitive work-force, and the opportunities to receive trade training and have their skills and qualifications assessed to align with New Zealand industry criteria.
“The discussion after the Minister’s address really highlighted the overlap between the goals of the refugee background communities and the goals of government,” says Gabrielle. “Employment and learning English to facilitate employment were high priorities both for the attendees and for the Minister…. We’re very lucky that in Nelson, we receive a lot of support from the host community for the work we do. From strong partnerships within private housing to significant employment opportunities, the community really works together to ensure positive resettlement outcomes for former refugees. This discussion was a good opportunity to hear from former refugees about how certain issues affect them in their resettlement.”
“This kind of dialogue is really important to our work, and we are very grateful to Minister Coleman and Ambassador Swing for joining us for this meeting,” says Refugee Services’ Chief Executive Heather Hayden. “Having the Director General of the International Organisation for Migration take the time to be here and subsequently visit our Mangere Refugee Reception Centre is a real honour and further reinforces the international regard for our resettlement programme. We can be very proud of the support New Zealand gives to quota refugees and the influence and regard that our programmes have around the world.”