25 February 2016: UN Member States and stakeholders exchanged views on the best ways to address migration in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its evolving architecture, at an event organized by Bangladesh as chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). They also discussed challenges that will be addressed by the High-Level Meeting on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants, taking place on 19 September 2016, in New York, US.

The event ‘Realizing Migration in Sustainable Development’ convened on 25 February 2016, in New York, US.

On the role of the GFMD, Peter Sutherland, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for International Migration and Development, called for it to: shift from sharing experiences to facilitating and measuring actions, especially multi-stakeholder solution-oriented initiatives; and set a follow-up and review process. Mehmet Samsar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, recalled that the eighth meeting of the GFMD, held in October 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey, urged the GFMD to establish a comprehensive system for the follow-up of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a clear strategy of collaboration with the UN system, especially with the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF). Thomas Gass, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), noted that paragraph 85 of the 2030 Agenda says the HLPF thematic reviews will be supported by intergovernmental bodies, and added that DESA considers the GFMD as one of these intergovernmental bodies, encouraging it to contribute inputs.

On attitudes toward migration, Sutherland cautioned governments against blindness to the dire circumstances of those who are trying to cross borders, although they have the right to control their borders. Karen AbuZayd, Special Adviser on the UN Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants, said fears about migrants’ numbers and backgrounds are a reaction to “the outsider” and not based on sound analysis. Shahidul Haque, Ninth GFDM Chair (Bangladesh), called for a fundamental rethinking of migration, saying it is not a problem “unless we make it to be.” He highlighted the “Silk Road” currently under construction, which will increase mobility further, and said the approach to migration cannot be fragmented to single countries or regions.

On preparations for the Summit, AbuZayd said that in May 2016 the UN Secretary-General will publish a report to underpin the discussions during the Summit, and invited comments from Member States and stakeholders.

Other institutional approaches to migration, AbuZayd highlighted the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Migration Governance Framework as a resource for national and regional implementation. Patricia Flor, Federal Foreign Office of Germany, underlined the need for reaching out to the private sector, as the migration burden goes beyond the power of governments, and for stronger linkages between the UN, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), IOM, and the GFMD. Sutherland also said it is “unfair” that ten countries take 60% of the world’s refugees and 86% of refugees are hosted by developing countries.

During the ensuing discussion, participants stressed the need to integrate the gender dimension in the discussion on migration, and called for supporting gender equality and women empowerment in that context. [IISD RS Sources] [Event Concept Note] [GFMD Website]