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Global ISCM Meetings
The Meeting of Global and (Inter) Regional Consultative Processes on migration also known as the Global ISCM Meeting or GRCP is the global coordination and cooperation forum for the Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration and aims to:
- foster exchanges, information- and practice sharing among ISCMs;
- contribute to improved policy coherence at the regional, interregional and global levels and promote convergence in migration policy across the regions;
- shape joint ISCM approaches to various migration issues, including common ISCM approaches on emerging migration issues and on global initiatives addressing migration; and
- strengthen collaboration among ISCMs, and enhance RCP and IRF interaction with global processes on migration, thus contributing to the regional-global continuum in policy dialogue on migration; and
- strengthen collaboration among the various ISCM secretariats.
GRCPs brings together the Chairs and Secretariats of the main ISCMs (RCPs, IRFs and global processes).
The First GRCP Meeting was organized in 2005, and hosted by IOM and the Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) in Geneva, Switzerland. Since then, IOM has pursued the holding of GRCP Meetings on a regular basis, mostly biennially.
In the past Global ISCM Meetings or GRCP were referred to as “Global RCP Meeting” dating back to times when “RCP” was the only term used to denote all inter-State consultation mechanisms on migration be them regional, interregional or global. The terms “IRF”, “global process on migration” and “ISCM” were introduced later in order to capture the proliferation of consultative processes on migration and their evolution. New RCPs, IRFs as well as the global processes on migration (such as GFMD and UN HLD on International migration and development) were included in GRCP Meetings upon their establishment.
Each GRCP Meeting built on the outcomes of the previous GRCP Meetings.
The first two GRCP reviewed cooperation needs among ISCM and since then the scope of discussions in the GRCP Meetings has expanded to include collaboration on addressing the changing migration dynamics given their increasing complexity.
Thus, the outcome documents of 2013 GRCP included specific recommendations for consideration by the UN Secretary General and the UN General Assembly in the context of the 2013 High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. This paved the way for the inclusion of migration in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Similarly 2017 GRCP resulted in the formulation of joint actionable commitments by ISCMs and their partner organizations (UN Regional Commissions and regional economic organizations), which were taken into account in the global compact stocktaking phase and prompted the clauses on ISCM engagement in the global compact for migration.
Global ISCM Meetings are intended to bring together the ISCM Chairs-in-office and the Heads of ISCM Secretariats: therefore GRCP are private meetings. Depending on Meeting's theme, participation can be expanded on an ad hoc basis to ISCM regional partners, such as political and economic unions, or UN Regional Commissions.
IOM is the convener, coordinator and technical secretariat for the GRCP Meetings.
- First GRCP Meeting
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In 2005, IOM and the former Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) brought together the chairing governments and secretariats of nine ISCMs / RCPs. Participants at this consultation agreed on the value of such interactions and emphasized the importance of holding more meetings of this nature in future, while favoring a flexible rather than institutionalized approach. At the time, the meeting was called “Global RCP Meeting.”
- Second GRCP Meeting
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Hosted by the Royal Thai Government in collaboration with IOM in 2009, the meeting brought together more than 60 participants, primarily representatives of chairing governments and secretariats of 13 RCPs. In follow up to one of the key recommendations of the meeting, IOM launched a comprehensive section dedicated to ISCMs / RCPs on its website. This space acts until now as a platform to voluntarily share and access information on each others' activities, thereby facilitating cross-fertilization across regions. Another major recommendation was holding GRCP on a biennial basis.
- Third GRCP Meeting
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Hosted by the Government of Botswana in collaboration with IOM in 2011 under the broad theme of Enhancing Cooperation on Migration through Dialogue and Capacity Building , the meeting was attended by some 75 representatives of chairing governments and secretariats of RCPs. By then, global processes on migration were established and the current, former and the Troika of Chairs of the Global Forum on Migration and Development(GFMD) also attended. Participants suggested concrete tools for capacity-enhancement and exchanged views on the interaction of RCPs / ISCMs with complementary mechanisms for international cooperation on migration at regional level, as well as the relationship with the GFMD and expectations for the then-upcoming 2013 United Nations High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development (HLD). Participants also discussed the potential of ISCMs / RCPs to contribute to evidence-based policymaking on contemporary migration challenges.
- Fourth GRCP Meeting
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Hosted by the Government of Peru in collaboration with IOM in May 2013, it focused on the theme of Defining the Place of RCPs in a Changing International Migration Landscape . The meeting facilitated the sharing of experiences and the exchange of views on the value and benefits of cooperation and dialogue on migration, in particular with respect to how global migration challenges could be addressed at the regional level. Taking place against the backdrop of the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development (UN HLD), the meeting provided a valuable platform for reflection on potential synergies with other processes and fora that deal with migration at the global and inter-regional level .
The Fourth GRCP Meeting resulted in specific recommendations for the UN Secretary General and the UN General Assembly consideration in the context of the 2013 United Nations High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development thus further contributing to the inclusion of migration in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development .
- Fifth GRCP Meeting
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The Meeting was hosted by the League of Arab States in Cairo, Egypt on 21-22 October 2015 under the broad theme of “Exploring Contemporary Migration Challenges: Reflecting on the Outcomes of the 2013 High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. ”Discussions focused on the role of the RCPs / ISCMs in major areas of focus at 2013 UN HLD, namely (i) protecting the human rights of all migrants; (ii) addressing forced migration, mixed migration flows, protection at sea, and migrants caught in countries in crisis; (iii) addressing climate change, environmental degradation and migration; and (iv) strengthening public confidence in migration policy and practice. One of the recommendations of the meeting was that RCPs / ISCMs have a greater role to play in the attainment of migration-related sustainable development goal (SDG) targets.
- Sixth GRCP Meeting
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Was hosted by IOM on 13 October 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland, on the occasion of IOM's 65th Anniversary. Under the broad theme of “Migration and the Sustainable Development Goals: the Role of Inter-state Consultation Mechanisms on Migration and of Regional Economic Organizations,” the proceedings focused on migration in the 2030 Agenda; the roles of RCPs, IRFs, Regional Economic Organizations and UN Regional Commissions in contributing to the attainment of the 2030 Agenda's sustainable development goals (SDGs); and potential areas for cooperation and partnerships at the regional level towards the attainment of the SDGs. The number of participating entities was expanded to include other important regional actors - regional economic organizations and UN Regional Economic Commissions - to share their expertise and plans vis-à-vis the attainment of the SDGs in the context of migration.
- Seventh GRCP Meeting
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The Seventh Global ISCM Meeting (GRCP 7) took place on 10 and 11 October 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland under the theme “Inter-state Consultation Mechanisms on Migration and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”. GRCP 7 aimed to bring together Inter-state Consultation Mechanisms on Migration (ISCM) - whether regional (RCPs), inter-regional (IRFs) or global - as well as their regional partners (UN Regional Commissions and political and regional economic unions) to jointly review their respective roles and contributions to the preparatory process of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration(GCM). In anticipation of the event, a Survey was conducted among ISCM and their partner organizations (UN Regional Commissions and Regional Economic Organizations / political and economic unions) to compile their respective experiences to the GCM. GRCP 7 resulted in the formulation of joint actionable commitments arising from recommendations on the GCM made by ISCM and partner organizations - the GRCP 7 Highlights.
- Eighth Global ISCM Meeting
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The Eighth Global Meeting of inter-State consultation mechanisms on migration (GRCP 8) was hosted by IOM in Geneva on 5 April 2019 under the theme “Advancing a common understanding of migration governance across regions”. Organized on the eve of a new decade, GRCP 8 provided a forum to jointly consider ISCM's contributions to migration governance at all levels, their achievements, effective practices, structures and partnership models. GRCP 8 also addressed the preliminary findings of the 2019 ISCM Assessment, which was pursued in anticipation of GRCP 8) to review ISCMs' contribution to migration governance at all levels, the evolution in their structures, sustainability, synergies and partnerships. GRCP 8 agenda addressed the same areas as the ISCM Assessment and GRCP 8 findings on these areas were incorporated in the ISCM Assessment Report.
- Ninth Global ISCM Meeting
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The Ninth Global ISCM Meeting (GRCP 9) took place on 10-11 November 2021, as on online event, under the overall theme "International Migration Review Forum: an Opportunity for Inter-State Consultations Mechanisms on Migration to Contribute to the Global Governance of Migration". GRCP 9 addressed the possible engagement of interested inter-State consultations mechanisms on migration (ISCMs) in the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF). The global-level review of the GCM - the IMRF - was seen as an opportunity for ISCMs to bring regional aspects to the global level and contribute to global migration governance and global policy dialogue on migration. The possible formats of contribution by ISCMs to the IMRF were considered. Some ISCMs have already planned events or written submissions on different aspects of migration governance that will input into the IMRF.
The Report of GRCP 9 Meeting and the Summary of IOM Survey conducted among ISCMs on the GCM regional reviews and the IMRF will be submitted to the IMRF as a collective ISCM input.
- Tenth Global ISCM Meeting
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The Tenth Global ISCM Meeting “Addressing Current Issues of Regional and Global Policy Dialogue on Migration” on 9 June 2023 in Geneva brought together Chairs and Secretariat Heads of Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration to jointly deliberate on ISCMs’ role in addressing current issues of regional and global migration governance like sustainable development, South-South and Triangular cooperation, climate change, and health and post-Covid-19 recovery.
GRCP 10 Report: “Addressing Current Issues of Regional and Global Policy Dialogue on Migration
- Related Links
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- ISCMs, Policy Dialogue on Migration and Migration Governance
- Research on ISCMs
- Online Repository of ISCM Materials
- Country Participation in ISCMs and IGOs
- Overlaps in ISCMs and IGOs
- Overlaps in ISCMs’ thematic and geographic focus
- Global Initiatives Addressing Migration
- IGO-Facilitated Global Processes Addressing Migration
- Other Processes on Migration - Processes on Refugees
- Other Global Events for ISCMs
Technical Secretariat of Global ISCM Meetings (GRCP Secretariat)
International Partnerships Division (IPD)
IOM Headquarters
E-mail: grcp@iom.int
More information about each of the Global ISCM Meetings can be found on the respective Meeting page referred to under the Related Content section below.