The Colombian Response to the Venezuelan Migration Crisis: A Dialogue with Colombia’s Migration Czar
Felipe Muñoz, Advisor to the President of Colombia for the Colombian-Venezuelan Border, discusses how Colombia is coping with the influx of Venezuelan migrants, plans for future policy decisions surrounding this migration, and developments in regional and international cooperation.
The political and economic unraveling of Venezuela has sparked the flight of more than 4 million people in what now stands as the largest exodus of migrants in the western hemisphere—a number that could exceed 5 million by year’s end. More than 1.4 million Venezuelans have settled in Colombia, which has generously opened its doors.
As the primary destination for Venezuelans, Colombia is providing a variety of legal pathways through temporary programs that allow the new arrivals access to work permits, public services, and protection from possible exploitation. And in September 2018, Colombia joined other countries in adopting the Declaration of Quito on Human Mobility of Venezuelan Citizens in the Region and launched an action plan emphasizing regularization and integration for migrants.
However, Colombia’s capacity to continue to host further arrivals is being stretched amid increasing pressure on public services and local economies, the growing recognition these arrivals will be more than short-term guests, and the strong possibility of additional inflows. Also at play is the slow arrival of international assistance. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has deemed the Venezuelan crisis one of the most underfunded humanitarian appeals in the world.
As the crisis continues to unfold, the Migration Policy Institute and Inter-American Dialogue hosted Felipe Muñoz, Advisor to the President of Colombia for the Colombian-Venezuelan Border, for a conversation on how Colombia is coping with this influx, plans for future policy decisions, and developments in regional and international cooperation, including with the United States.
Speakers:
Felipe Muñoz, Advisor to the President of Colombia for the Colombian-Venezuelan Border
Moderators:
Andrew Selee, President, Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Commentators:
Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan, Associate Director, International Program, MPI
Michael Camilleri, Director, Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program, Inter-American Dialogue
Sponsors
About the Global Program
The Global Program bridges policy advice, research, and candid dialogue to design effective migration policies, drawing on global evidence and anticipating the forces reshaping how people move.
