Geneva– The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino and Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations in Geneva, signed an agreement that IOM will provide support to the establishment of a permanent Secretariat of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). 

Chaired by France since 1 July 2022, the GFMD is a State-led, informal, voluntary forum that actively engages national and local governments, civil society, the private sector and youth. It has played a crucial role over the years to promote an inclusive dialogue among experts and practitioners from different fields. It has led to a common understanding of migration challenges and opportunities, including the key role that migration plays in supporting development outcomes. The GFMD has also led to the launch of many innovative partnerships to improve the governance of migration. 

Through this agreement, IOM reiterates its commitment to the GFMD as an important dialogue space to discuss migration governance challenges and cooperation as well as the inter-linkages between international migration and sustainable development. IOM expresses its full support to the French chairmanship of the GFMD for the implementation of its programme in the lead up to the GFMD Summit in Paris in early 2024. 

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For more information, please contact:   

Barbara Sidoti, GFMD Team  bsidoti@iom.int