The current government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay started from the beginning of his year in 2005, a policy of linkage and linkage with the Uruguayan Diaspora. Basically, the new guidance recognizes that Uruguayan citizens residing abroad are part of the Uruguayan society and the country is vitally interested in it remain so. The recognition of their rights and efforts to their inclusion and participation in the national agenda, per se invalid as deepening of democracy, is also in line with a global trend to conceive migrants, and their willingness to remain citizens of their country origin, as a resource, not a problem or a burden to society than circumstantial or permanently abandoned.
No country that is viable in the long run if you keep and can not confront and solve a population deficit. Of course, the main emphasis should be on ensuring that our social promise again to be as or more attractive than they once made Uruguay a country of immigration and that it is vital for socio-economic realities determine that we remain an exporter of labor. But it is not inconsiderable acting on the other side of the equation. Many Uruguayans living outside Uruguay otherwise would not want to live in Uruguay. Not everyone is able to return but some do. Humanity, but also from the standpoint of economic and social care and we care.
Moreover, there are clear global trends towards greater mobility of people and Uruguay in Latin America has an interesting position as a possible country of residence for diverse populations. Both
for some as for others There is a wide range of problems to solve in terms of entering the country and inclusion in society and the Uruguayan state or intended or may fail to take responsibility. Of how to model and build the integration will largely depend on their results to be functional both the social objectives of social development as productive and personal aspirations of the migrants.
The Return and Home Office operates pursue 3 objectives:
the active creation of better conditions and incentives for the return of Uruguayans living abroad,
facilitating the integration of these, or foreign nationals wishing to establish in our country, our society,
collection, structuring and dissemination of all relevant information about the national level.
generation incentives and facilities for the return of compatriots to our country or the establishment of foreign citizens is divided into three basic levels or stages:
a) The project planning and implementation of individual or family to return. This highlights the issues related to the streamlining and simplification of procedures and regulations and application of Article 76 of Law 18250, relating to property and vehicles entering the country.
b) immediate integration into society of returnees, which is to resolve issues such as income, health, housing and other basic services. In this sense it is developing an intense work of planning and coordination with various ministries and agencies, among which we mention MIDES, MEC, MSP, MEF, MTSS, MINTUR, and nongovernmental institutions as FEUU, CUDECOOP and others.
c) The long-term integration in the cultural and economic development and the consolidation of social and cultural participation of returnees.
As seen, the work of the Office of Return and Welcome to articulate a lot going on in coordination other government bodies around the objectives outlined and to some extent act as a guardian of the interests of the migrants who make up its target population.
With the participation of several representatives of the Consultative Councils and the support of the Directorate General of Consular Affairs and Liaison, the Office for Return and Home began operating in January 2008. As I write this presentation is at a stage of defining their funding sources, start of formal and institutional strengthening activities.
Francisco Burguete
Return and Home Office