Nairobi - IOM, the UN Migration Agency, emphasized the great potential of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) at the East African Consultative Meeting held on 24-25 July in Kenya’s capital. The event was organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as part of the continent-wide consultations that will result in the Common African Perspectives on the GCM.

In his opening statement, Jo Rispoli, Senior Regional Specialist on Labour Mobility and Human Development called for a more holistic approach to migration and highlighted its multifaceted nature.

“We should not focus efforts on trying to ‘stop’ migration, but rather on creating conditions in which migration is a choice and not a necessity, it takes place through regular channels, and it acts as a catalyst for development,” stressed Rispoli.

He presented three concrete suggestions for turning the GCM into an instrument for the implementation of all migration-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first suggestion is to focus on a whole of government approach and between different ministries. Second, the GCM should develop a strong follow-up and review mechanism that does not duplicate, but rather complements the SDGs systems already in place. And the third suggestion is to strengthen cooperation between all stakeholders and foster greater partnerships on the progressive implementation of the SDGs.

Rispoli also highlighted some of the contributions by IOM to the GCM process including the series of thematic papers on topics such as labour mobility, integration and social cohesion, and diaspora engagement. He drew attention to the recently-launched iDiaspora forum, a worldwide online platform whereby diaspora members can provide recommendations that will feed into the content of the GCM negotiations next year. 

Regional consultations such as the one held in Nairobi are part of the GCM process. They are hosted by the regional economic communities (RECs) and their sub-regional bodies, in collaboration with relevant UN entities and with IOM in particular. In parallel, global thematic consultations have been held on four main themes, the last of which focused on contributions of migrants and diasporas. The next regional consultation will be held in August in Santiago, Chile for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The GCM is a major intergovernmental process, to which IOM is extending technical and policy expertise as requested by Member States until its culmination in September 2018. It presents a historic opportunity for achieving a world in which migrants move as a matter of choice rather than necessity, through safe, orderly and regular channels, and in which migration is well governed and able to act as a positive force for individuals, societies and States.

For further information, please contact:

Jo Rispoli at IOM’s Regional Office for East and the Horn of Africa, Tel: +254204444167, Email: jrispoli@iom.int or Jorge Galindo at IOM HQ, Tel: +417179205, Email: jgalindo@iom.int