Cities are at the heart of a mosaic of relationships between our globalized societies and an ever-evolving international migration. In this unprecedented era of increasing urbanization, cities have become the entry point for over 60% of migrants living outside their countries of origin in seek of better livelihood opportunities, quality of life, better education, safety and access to jobs, and services for them and their families.

As “the port of call” for the majority of the world’s migrant populations, cities in raising and magnifying their collective voices are demonstrating in practice how to cooperate and leverage migration in pivot from the migration and mobility perspective to a self-reliance and inclusive perspective.

The world knows that the only way to recover and build back stronger from the Covid-19 crisis is to ensure that no one is left behind. To do so, combined efforts, ownership and shared responsibility between local authorities, national governments, and the international community are key to guarantee lasting solutions and to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration for all.