GFMD Reception after 15th UN Coordination Meeting (16 Feb, New York)

On the margins of the highly successful 15th Coordination Meeting on International Migration organized by UN DESA at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on February 16, the GFMD 2017-2018 Co-Chairmanship hosted a reception at the Permanent Mission of Germany.  Both Ambassador Schmidt-Bremme and Mr. El Habib Nadir, representing the German and Moroccan Co-Chairs, respectively, participated during the first day of the UN Coordination Meeting. 

The reception capped a full day of discussions and reflections on the progress made in terms of substantive preparations for the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and the implementation of the migration-related commitments of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

The GFMD 2017-2018 Co-Chairmanship reception gathered over 100 representatives of governments, civil society and business in New York, as well as participants of the UN Coordination Meeting.  For the Co-Chairs, it was an occasion to update the New York community on recent activities of the Co-Chairmanship, and also to share GFMD perspectives on the GFMD’s contribution to the preparatory process of the Global Compact. 

Ambassador Schmidt-Bremme articulated his vision for the GFMD to take an active role and contribute to the global compact process by drawing from its rich reservoir of debate outcomes, knowledge and best practices, and by providing an informal and inclusive space for dialogue. He would like to see a global compact document that is decisive and has concrete outcomes for the migrants.  The GFMD 2017 overarching theme,”Towards a Global Social Contract on Migration and Development” embodies the Co-Chairs’ vision to promote regular migration that is in the common interest of all – origin and destination countries and migrants themselves -- and one that guarantees the reintegration of migrants in their countries of origin

Mr. El Habib Nadir shared the perspective of Morocco that 2018 would be a crucial year for the governance of international migration. He imparted three main guidelines to pave the way for the achievement and implementation of the global compact on safe, orderly and regular migration: 1) follow-up would be essential, keeping in mind that the Agenda 2030 and the Global Compact are separate but parallel processes; 2) there is a need for the exchange of best practices and concrete initiatives, as well as information-sharing; and 3) an emphasis on the vulnerable migrant groups, especially women and children.