The UN Country Team (UNCT) for Mauritius and Seychelles joined together today for a hybrid Town Hall with the intention of strengthening team spirit and supporting staff well-being. There are only days left until the Summit of the Future - the once-in-a-generation opportunity for the international community to address current and emerging global challenges and reform outdated international institutions. Our UNCT needs to ensure we are the strongest possible partners to the countries we collaborate with on their journey along the path of transformation for the sustainable development goals. Carving out time for the Country Team to share information and discuss pertinent information beyond our own silos is one such way to do this. Often town halls are also called “all-hands-on” meetings as they provide the opportunity to bridge the communication gap - for employees at different levels from different agencies to connect, which is essential for our team with colleagues based in different countries throughout the world. While world leaders at the Summit will have to make tough choices – to pave the way for global peace and prosperity, restore our planet, promote digital transformation and protect human rights for "Our Common Future". Our UNCT must take every chance to enhance our capacity to deliver, stronger, together on the outcomes of the Summit.

Traditionally, in the Indian Ocean labour migration goverance has been viewed as the exclusive responsibility of member states. Private Sector's Call for Concrete SolutionsHowever, the dynamics are evolving with employers' representatives advocating for practical, real-time solutions to address pressing issues, ranging from labour shortages across skill levels to the mismatch in skills and the transfer of skills. They emphasize the importance of rapid identification of labour market needs through comprehensive labour migration statistics. Moreover, employers demand evidence-based, transparent, and efficient labour migration policies at the national level. This includes accelerating and simplifying work and residence permit processes and refining systems for the recognition of qualifications.Southern Africa Migration Management Project's (SAMM) Initiatives**The SAMM project has been at the forefront of fostering dialogue and collaboration between employers and policymakers. In 2022, SAMM organized two significant workshops focusing on labour migration governance in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Indian Ocean region. These workshops aimed to raise awareness among employers and gather their perspectives on labour migration governance.The first workshop, held in Johannesburg in partnership with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), addressed business perspectives on labour migration governance in Southern Africa. The second workshop, in collaboration with IOE Policy Working Group on Migration, delved into the dialogue between employers and policymakers in the Indian Ocean region, specifically involving representatives from Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.Challenges and RecommendationsDuring the workshops organized during the first week of October 2023, employers as well as the Government and Workers’ representatives highlighted challenges related to climate change, youth unemployment, and labour shortages in key sectors like construction, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and ICT of the Indian Ocean region. Additionally, they pointed out the difficulties in aligning education with the job market and the reluctance of the national workforce to engage in low-skilled, low-paid jobs.The SAMM project's core initiative includes developing a Code of Conduct on the Fair and Ethical Recruitment of Migrant Workers in the Indian Ocean region and its self-assessment tool, which were endorsed by the participants. This Code, discussed during the workshops, emphasizes transparency, accountability, and proactivity in labour migration practices.Key Recommendations and Framework DevelopmentThe initial recommendations from the employers and Private sector include the creation of a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Code of Conduct, support for a Regional Free Movement of Persons Agreement, development of regional labour market information systems, and enhanced social dialogue involving social partners in skills recognition mechanisms. Hence, the SAMM project has been actively involved through the first and second workshops in October 2023 to presenting a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Code of Conduct as well as its Self-Assessment tool for the Indian Ocean region. Moreover, skills mobility frameworks were developed at national and regional level, emphasizing the importance of social dialogue, capacity-building, and strengthening labour migration governance in the region. The framework also explores bilateral labour migration agreements and temporary migration programs to address immediate skills gaps and promote skills transfer. Both regional documents were endorsed at country and regional level with a few minor edits.ConclusionThe evolving landscape of labour migration governance in the Indian Ocean region reflects a collaborative effort between the private sector, policymakers, and international organizations. By prioritizing ethical recruitment, skills mobility, and fostering regional cooperation, the region aims to create a fair and sustainable labour migration framework that benefits both countries of origin and destination, employers, recruiting agencies, and migrant workers alike. Through ongoing initiatives under SAMM, the Indian Ocean region is paving the way for responsible and inclusive labour migration practices.Find out more here.**************************************************************************The SAMM Project is implemented by the ILO in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) for Mauritius and Seychelles held their Annual Retreat entitled “Delivering Stronger, UNited for People, Prosperity and Planet”  from the 3rd to the 5th of April of 2024 in Mauritius.  It brought together UN agencies and their partners – Government, private sector and civil society - to strengthen cooperation and identify opportunities for new collaboration. During the Opening Ceremony at Maritim Hotel, Balaclava Ms Lisa Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles highlighted this as a pivotal moment for the UNCT marking the first cycle of implementation of the new Cooperation Frameworks for sustainable development signed last year with the governments of each country.“Given the uniqueness of SIDS, many UN agencies have developed and are developing their SIDS strategy to better address their higher-than-average vulnerabilities to exogenous shocks. We also need to go beyond the small states narrative, for SIDS are more than small islands but large ocean states.”Joining remotely the Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles underlined:“Through strategic planning and evidence-based approaches…we have the opportunity to affect change for every Seychellois and Mauritian. The loss and damage fund, the multi-dimensional vulnerability index and the outcomes of the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference are tangible steps that will supercharge the breakthroughs needed by us to achieve the shared vision of Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind.  By analysing our challenges and successes we pave the way for the strategic implementation of this Cooperation Framework.”In his opening remarks the Hon. Maneesh Gobin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius and Government of Seychelles emphasized:“Small Island Nations like Mauritius have unique inherent vulnerabilities which are often overlooked when it comes to resource mobilisation for development.  We need to go beyond the GDP per Capita criteria and rapidly devise a vulnerability index tailored specifically for SIDS which will enable small islands to mobilise the adequate resources needed to address the urgent development challenges and the existential threats posed by climate change. This should be a priority at the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda.”Panel discussions held during the Retreat comprised representation from across sectors to focus conversation on key headlight issues for each pillar of the Cooperation Framework (People, Prosperity, and Planet). They provided a platform for strategic dialogue to enhance collaboration across the UNCT and to collectively identify the pathways through which the UN will make a difference in the implementation of its Cooperation Frameworks. It was recognised that although both countries are experiencing outstanding sustainable development journeys, persisting challenges and vulnerabilities demand a proactively People-centred approach to ensure that UN interventions have a real positive impact on the lives and livelihood of people in Mauritius and Seychelles. Over the three days the participants looked at how joint action can drive change in the six transition areas positioning the UN as: a strategic adviser, a pivotal partnership broker, and a provider of high-level expertise to install capacities, boost public and private investments in sustainable development priorities, and ultimately to build resilience and advance SDG transformation.The Fourth International Conference on SIDS next month will be an opportunity to boost these ongoing efforts by fostering South-South and SIDS-to-SIDS cooperation, and joint action between Mauritius and Seychelles.

Background The only multi-country SIDS office in Africa, the Mauritius and Seychelles United Nations Country Team (UNCT) comprises over 80 percent of UN agencies which are non-resident spread across continents, time zones, and operational contexts. Therefore, ensuring consistent and effective communication and collaboration becomes even more pivotal particularly as the two countries gear up to launch the implementation of the new UN Cooperation frameworks 2024-2028. Recognizing this imperative, the Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) in Mauritius & Seychelles (MCO) successfully created and rolled out the UN Mauritius & Seychelles Knowledge Sharing Platform on SharePoint.   Six months after its official launch by our Resident Coordinator, Ms. Lisa Singh, the Platform today has more than 150 UN officers covering Mauritius and Seychelles from across the globe, as a mechanism for a robust interagency collaboration. Key features: Document Collaboration and Sharing: Ensuring Consistency and Efficiency Be it for Common Country Analysis (CCA), Cooperation Framework, UNCT Results Reports, Universal Periodic Review, document sharing, review, and approval form a substantial chunk of our collaborative efforts. For us, 2023 was a busy year with the evaluation of the previous Cooperation Frameworks, followed by the design of the new Cooperation Frameworks, and CCA updates.  These key steps required multiple rounds of input and feedback from the interagency working groups PMT, OMT, and UNCT - multiply by 2!  The Platform made this process much easier by allowing UNCT colleagues to access, comment, and edit shared documents stored at a single, centralized, and secure platform.  We witness a large decrease in back-and-forth of documents, and reduced oversight of vital inputs.  The time required for document review and approval processes has been considerably reduced as well.   Thematic Document Repository: Shared knowledge on a shared platform We made sure everyone in our UNCT, regardless of their location, could access needed resources through an easily accessible Thematic Document Repository as part of the Platform, which categorizes relevant documents per specific themes, such as environment, human rights, and health.  This was useful, particularly for our work on the CCA and its timely update. It houses all historical and recent data and reports, ensuring that UNCT can easily track developments, identify trends, and collectively recognize challenges and opportunities. The RCOteam and I receive the new files, quality assure, and upload them to the Platform in a structured manner. We are planning to further enhance the repository by introducing carefully crafted metadata so colleagues can access relevant resources across thematic areas more easily, which, we hope will increase opportunities for more integrated policy work across thematic areas.    Interagency Working Groups: Promoting Focused Collaborations We introduced dedicated spaces for interagency working groups such as the Results Groups, PMT, OMT, MEL, Communications, PSEA and on Gender. These serve as hubs for focused discussions, streamlined document sharing, and efficient project management.  We have seen a huge increase in agency engagement as well as speedy and consistent communications within working groups through these dedicated spaces.   A Consolidated Contact List: Bridging Communication Gaps Our Platform also houses a comprehensive and unified contact list accessible to everyone in the UNCT to help colleagues identify and connect with appropriate individuals or teams, ensuring that there are no missed connections. As the lead of this Platform, I mainly manage this list, but anyone in the UNCT has editing access and is asked to keep it updated during meetings. Part of the information on the list also helps us keep UNINFO UNCT composition up to date.   Elevating Collective Expertise: E-Courses and Webinar Repositories on the UNCT SharePoint Site We realized that the different UN learning platforms contain a wealth of knowledge which staff are not always aware of. To address this, we dedicated a page to e-Courses from different UN entities fostering an environment of lifelong learning and self-paced upskilling. 
  Other features of the Platform include the News, and webinar archives to keep our UNCT members abreast with the new guidance and each other’s initiatives and facilitate access to the learning resources related to the work of the UNCT.    What we learnt: Plan First: Before diving into SharePoint, outline the specific needs and desired outcomes of your UNCT, and understand your users. This helps the site serve its intended purpose. Through consultation with our UNCTs, we understood that the demand for an internal “knowledge one-stop shop” is high, and they expect the RCO to bridge this gap.   Keep it simple: While SharePoint offers robust customization, over-customization can make maintenance cumbersome. Determine early on what truly needs custom solutions and what can be managed with out-of-the-box features to save time.   Leadership matters: Undeniably, leadership buy-in is paramount when establishing a Knowledge Sharing Platform. The commitment and endorsement of UNCT senior leaders serve as a driving force behind the successful implementation and adoption of this collaborative platform. In our case, the RC has been a strong advocate for the Platform, and our Head of Office played a crucial role in bringing UN entities on board.     Content is King: A Platform may be technically perfect, but if the content isn't relevant, regularly updated, or properly organized, it loses its true value. A content strategy, coupled with regular quality assurance, keeps a collaboration platform valuable.   Training is Essential: Users need to know how to navigate the Platform. We developed a “Step-by-step” guide, tailored video tutorials and offer on-demand hands-on training.  Introducing or overhauling a Platform often requires a significant behavioural change in users. Proactively manage this change by communicating the benefits, offering support, and being receptive to feedback.   Feedback is Gold: Create feedback loops, where users can report issues or suggest improvements to ensure the platform remains relevant.   Test Thoroughly: Testing the Platform prior to the launch to detect bugs, performance issues, or user experience problems can save countless headaches down the line.  Our testing phase with PMT members enabled us to quickly amend a few access issues before the launch.   Conclusion The introduction of the UNCT Knowledge Sharing Platform is a reflection of our pursuit of excellence and efficiency in interagency operations.  When equipped with the right tools and platforms, the collective strength and synergy of our diverse agencies can be optimized to further the overarching goals and missions of the UN. While the initial investment to set up the Platform is considerable, the gain in efficiency and effectiveness is totally worth it!