Regional Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration ...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to the guidance and support provided by key IOM colleagues involved in this study. Colleagues from <str<strong>on</strong>g>Regi<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g> and Country Offices throughout the world have been generous with their time and astute in their commentaries <strong>on</strong> the drafts. Their direct and c<strong>on</strong>tinuous c<strong>on</strong>tact with many of the key governmental partners in the reviewed regi<strong>on</strong>al forums and processes has been instrumental toward gaining clear perspective. The Headquarters team has been equally dedicated and patient as the document developed over the past several m<strong>on</strong>ths. Tim Howe and Ahmed Seghaier have burned a great deal of midnight oil backing me up with expert research and coordinati<strong>on</strong> services, and with insightful reacti<strong>on</strong>s to issues that arose. Gervais Appave has also c<strong>on</strong>tributed to steering the results and encouraging the process forward at key moments. Above all, Maureen Achieng has led this process with extraordinary competence and dedicati<strong>on</strong>. In a clear case of the student teaching the (<strong>on</strong>ce) teacher, she has been unstinting in her support and unfailingly generous in sharing her c<strong>on</strong>siderable expertise. Having received such excellent guidance and advice, I acknowledge the faults in this document as being mine al<strong>on</strong>e. I hope the document does serve as a useful resource to those interested in regi<strong>on</strong>al migrati<strong>on</strong> processes of any kind, and, further, that it initiates a process of an even more thorough regular review of vital migrati<strong>on</strong> policy development mechanisms. Charles Harns 3