UN marks International Migrants Day, celebrate contributions, highlight challenges
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS –International Organization for Migration published a report on Thursday on the International Migrants Day stated that Venezuelans living in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean contribute more than $10.6 billion every year to local economies mostly through spending on food, education and healthcare.
The finding came in a report by the International Organization for Migration published on Thursday, International Migrants Day.
The analysis is based on research conducted since 2021 in Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Aruba.
Other findings show that Venezuelans make valuable tax contributions, representing approx over one per cent of total tax revenue in these countries.
In Colombia alone, this has exceeded $529 million in a single year, the report stated.
According to UN estimates there are more than 300 million migrants globally,
International Day provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on their invaluable contributions, it also highlights the increasingly complex environment in which migration occurs.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that conflicts, climate-related disasters and economic pressures continue to drive millions to seek safety or opportunity outside their homelands.
“This past year saw record levels of internal displacement, rising humanitarian needs across ongoing and new crises, and, tragically, the highest-ever death toll of migrants in transit,” he said in his message to mark the Day.
“By supporting regular pathways for migration, we can enable opportunities for migrants, better protect their rights, and contribute to greater prosperity in the countries migrants come from and those that host them.”
