Established: 2006

Objectives

The UN General Assembly in its resolution 58/208 of 23 December 2003 decided to devote a high-level dialogue to international migration and development during its sixty-first session in 2006.  The purpose of the high-level dialogue is to discuss the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development and identify appropriate ways to maximize its development benefits and minimize its negative impacts.  Additionally, the high-level dialogue has a strong focus on policy issues, including the challenge of achieving internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The First HLD examined the relationship and synergies between international migration and development.  It was composed of four plenary meetings and four interactive round tables on such themes as migrant’s right, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, remittances, partnerships at the bilateral and regional levels.

The First HLD resulted in the creation of the voluntary, State-led and non-binding Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), a platform for informal dialogue and cooperation.  

In 2006, the UN Secretary-General established the Global Migration Group (GMG), an interagency coordination mechanism including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and 15 entities of the United Nations system, to promote the wider application of international and regional instruments and norms relating to migration and to encourage the adoption of more coherent, comprehensive and better coordinated inter-agency approaches.

 The Second High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development discussed the post- 2015 development framework and integrating migration into development policies, labour migration, migrant’s rights, safe migration, among other topics.  The Second HLD’s result was the eight-point agenda for action on making migration work.  Informal interactive hearings were held with the representatives of civil society organizations and the private sector. 

The Second HLD identified concrete measures to strengthen coherence and cooperation at all levels, with a view to enhancing the benefits of international migration for migrants and countries alike and its important links to development, while reducing its negative implications. 

Current Focus

  • Migration and Development,
  • Labour Migration
  • Human Rights of Migrants
  • Migrant Exploitation
  • Human Trafficking
  • Stranded Migrants
  • Migration data and Migration Evidence Base
  • Public Perceptions of Migrants
  • Migration partnerships and cooperation

Secretariat

  • UN DESA Population Division
Participating States (195 states)
  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Costa Rica
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Ethiopia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran (Islamic Republic of)
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  • Republic of Korea
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Republic of Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Palestine
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Swaziland
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Tajikistan
  • United Republic of Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
  • Viet Nam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Observers
Partners
  • CSOs
  • Private Sector organizations
Meetings

Recent Meetings

Previous Meetings

  • First United Nations High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, 14 – 15 September, 2006, New York, USA

Related Meetings

Documents
Related Links
Contact information

International Migration
Population Division
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
United Nations Headquarters, 2 United Nations Plaza
Rm. DC2-1950
New York, NY 10017 USA
Facsimile + 1-212-963-2147
Email: migrationp@un.org

Website
https://www.un.org/en/ga/68/meetings/migration/