The Pacific Immigration Directors’ Conference (PIDC) is a forum for official immigration agencies in the Pacific Islands region and has 23 member countries and territories. Recently, the PIDC Secretariat partnered with the IFRC’s Pacific IDRL programme in raising awareness amongst the PIDC membership on the role of immigration in disaster response. We spoke to Matt Capper, Policy Leader of PIDC, on the origins and goals of this partnership.
How did the partnership with the IFRC come about ?
"The PIDC Secretariat surveys its members annually to identify developing needs. Following several major natural disasters in the Pacific in 2009 and early 2010, and following discussions with the IFRC’s Pacific IDRL programme, the Secretariat decided to include questions in the 2010 survey regarding our members’ policies on foreign disaster response personnel – in short, were they prepared and able to facilitate entry in the aftermath of a major disaster".
What was the result of questionnaire?
"The responses to these questions varied from country to country, but it became clear from the responses and conversations with our members that many of them wanted to be able to engage better with the issue even where procedures and policies were fairly well developed."
"Although only part of the solution, we decided with IFRC that a short and digestible policy brief would be a good way to convey some key messages to our members and in turn assist our members to convey important aspects of the potential role of immigration in disaster response at a national level. We are very pleased with the final document and have already had a number of positive response from members."
What are the next steps ?
"This policy brief is only a small part of a much, much bigger picture. However, it will help our members better engage on this issue on a national level in the development and implementation of legislation which in turn can make a very real difference to those affected by a disaster. The PIDC secretariat will continue to work closely with the Pacific IDRL programme and build on this brief to support members in developing appropriate and effective policy".