Paris: Statement by the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of the Government of Montenegro Dr. Suad Numanović on the Ministerial Seminar Migration in the Mediterian Area: Building a Prosperous Area through Migrations

Ministerial Seminar Migration in the Mediterian Area: Building a Prosperous Area through Migrations
Paris, 14th December 2009


Statement by the
Minister of Labor and Social Welfareof the Government of Montenegro
Dr. Suad Numanović
- Encouraging Youth Mobility-




Dear Minister Besson,

Dear Minister Bilstrom

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,



It is my distinct pleasure to be here today and to address this important seminar.

I think that the timing and the topics of the seminar are pariculary important in the context of the current global economic crisis. Initiative to build prosperious area through migrations is the opportunity to use the crisis time for projects that will encourage legal migration, making easier movement of individuals, strengthen the links between mobility and development, and to give mobility a human, cultural, economic and social dimension.


Mobility of young people, in this sense, should be seen as a priority. According to some surveys, in the European Union and its future mostly believe young people from the new member state. I also believe that the expectations of the Mediterranean youth population are in the same level, when it comes to the Union for the Mediterranean. Mobility of young people is a way for their greater achievements, but it is also way to create a prosperous Mediterranean region, linking the North and South, the EU-27 with the Western Balkans, the Southern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Bearing this in mind, it seems very useful to support the first practical steps in the field of improving the mobility of youth of the Mediterranean.


Formation of a special of Mediterranean Office for Youth, within the existing institutional framework of the Union for the Mediterranean, would be an important step in the coordination of regional and sub-regional exchange programs, whether they are for the undergraduate and postgraduate studies, stagiers or young professionals.

Creating opportunities for providing so-called "Mediterranean visas for young people, which would be easily received, would especially encourage the mobility of young people from those countries that still do not belong to a free visa regime.

It would be also useful to support the movement of young people from the world of education to the world of business, in order to gain working experience and the first major opportunities for employment, and to support initiatives for free and fast flow of information, distance learning, forums for discussion and exchange of views and other initiatives of the so-called "virtual mobility" of youth.

Montenegro, as a country whose citizens needed visa for years, knows how to appreciate the advantages of free travel and mobility. I am sure that we we will be witness of the great interest of the citizens of Montenegro to travel to EU countries, when the liberalization of visa regime come in to force at the end of this week. With the understanding of the French Government, we have taken the first steps in order to encourage mobility of young people. On the 1st of December this year the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of France signed Agreement on mobility of young people, the first of its kind signed with a large European countries. We look forward to fact that the Republic of France concluded similar agreements with other countries in the Western Balkans, with Serbia and Macedonia, which shows practical commitment of France to the mobility of young people in our region. And even if it is not in the context of today's topic, I want to emphasize that on 20th Octeober this year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of the Government of Montenego signed with the French Ministry of Labor, social relations, solidarity, family and the city a Cooperation Program from 2009 to 2011. which includs cooperation in the field of labor, employment and training. In that way we continued our cooperation within the program that was established on 2006. This represents another significant step, whith which our two countries, further promote mutual cooperation and understanding, and in the same time contributing to the Montenego on its way to the European Union.



Montenegro has been participated for several years in student exchange program "Erasmus-Mundus. This program, which began 22 years ago was very successful, making it possible for almost 2 million students to study abroad. I firmly believe that continued support and widening of this program, and developing similar programs in the Mediterranean Union will contribute to valuable and long-term benefits. Investment in education and higher education and professional trainings is particularly important for creating a modern workforce that will be ready for the challenges of the global economy of the 21st century.


This year, Montenegro has already contributed to strengthening regional cooperation and the free flow of people, goods and capital, as well strengthening cultural cooperation. During 2009 Montenegro has chaired CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement) MARRI (Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative) and the Council of Ministers of Culture of South Eastern Europe. Next year Montenegro will continue its active role in regional organizations, by chairing the Central European Initiative, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and the Southeast European Cooperation Process.

Montenegro supports the development of regional cooperation and further improvement of the mechanism of cooperation among the countries of Western Balkans. Mobility of young people should be the rule, not the exception, and Montenegro will strongly support this project. In order to actively contribute to this shared goal Montenegro would be happy to host a conference on this theme and subject in the first half of the 2010.


Dear Minister Besson, Dear Minister Bilstrom,

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends


Let this Ministerial seminar be just a starting point on the road towards achieving our goal of wide spreading mobility throughout the Euro Mediterranean region. Let the Paris Declaration be a practical guideline for our future activities. We are doing it for a noble cause, and we should not stop along the way.


Thank you.