Briefing on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: Report of the Secretary-General

Madam Moderator, Executive Director,

Thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honor to address you today on behalf of Ambassador Rabab Fatima, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, and on my own behalf, in our role as co-facilitators to conduct the consultations on the Progress Declaration in the lead-up to the first ever International Migration Review Forum, to take place from 17 to 20 May 2022. 

We would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for reposing his trust in us to undertake this important responsibility under the auspices of the General Assembly. We are honored to take on this role and are committed to leading open, transparent and inclusive intergovernmental consultations. 

The Forum will be an opportunity for Member States to discuss and share progress on the implementation of all aspects of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, including as it relates to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and with the participation of all relevant stakeholders.

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for the presentation of his report on the implementation of the Global Compact. This report provides a good basis for the discussions ahead. As the Secretary-General notes in his report, this first IMRF presents the international community with a vital opportunity to reinforce the relevance and timeliness of the Global Compact, assess its impact to date and ensure that it is brought to bear in equipping societies for future challenges.

We appreciate the crucial support provided by the UN Network on Migration, under the leadership of the International Organization for Migration, and welcome the participation of the Director General of the IOM, Mr António Vitorino, in today’s meeting. In this regard, we support the call made by the UN Network on Migration encouraging Member States and other stakeholders to make pledges to advance the implementation of the Global Compact.

Migration has been part of the human experience throughout history. In the Global Compact, Member States have recognized that migration is a source of prosperity, innovation and sustainable development in our globalized world, and that these positive impacts can be optimized by improving migration governance.

We intend to undertake extensive consultations with all Member States, and we hope we can count on your constructive engagement and the collaboration of all partners as we work towards a meaningful and consensual outcome. We are currently working on a roadmap to guide the consultations in the months ahead, which we hope to share with you soon. We also expect to share the zero draft of the Progress Declaration by mid-March and conclude negotiations by the end of April.

I conclude by reiterating that we will make every effort to ensure an open, transparent and inclusive process through a collaborative effort. 

I thank you.