18 May 2016: UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson called for dispelling myths about migrants and migration that can “poison the public discourse,” and for implementing policies to realize migrants’ value to economic and demographic growth, development and diversity. Eliasson was speaking at a high-level event on ‘Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants: Critical Challenges for Sustainable Urbanization,’ held on the sidelines of intergovernmental negotiations on the outcome document of the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III).

The high-level event took place on 18 May 2016, in New York, US. It was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Italy, the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, in collaboration with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN-Women, and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Eliasson noted that, while most humanitarian assistance goes to refugees living in camps, only one-quarter of refugees live in camps, while “urban refugees” are largely overlooked. Many live in slums or informal settlements on the fringes of cities, in overcrowded neighborhoods and in areas prone to flooding, sanitation hazards and disease, he said. He highlighted that UNHCR has changed its policy and practice towards refugees in cities and towns, and works with national authorities, municipalities and local communities and authorities to protect urban refugees, respecting their refugee status.

A High-level Meeting (HLM) of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the Large-Scale Movements of Refugees and Migrants will convene on 19 September 2016, in New York, US, mandated by the UNGA in December 2015 (A/70/L.34). Consultations are ongoing among UN Member States to set the modalities for the HLM. Governments then will begin negotiating the HLM’s outcome. Consultations are being led by the Permanent Representatives of Ireland and Jordan, who are serving as co-facilitators for the HLM.

On 20 April 2016, the UN Secretary-General released his report to inform the HLM. The report calls on governments to uphold the safety and dignity of refugees and migrants, commit to a global compact on responsibility-sharing on refugees, and develop and adopt a global compact for safe, regular and orderly migration. Governments provided initial views on the report in a briefing with the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General for the HLM, Karen AbuZayd, on 3 May. [UN Press Release on Side Event] [Eliasson Remarks] [UN Website on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants] [IISD RS Story on Report of UN Secretary-General] [IISD RS Story on Pressentation of Report] [IISD RS Story on Habitat III Preparations] [IISD RS Guest Article on Humanitarian and Development Financing] [IISD RS Sources]