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El Salvador GCM National Implementation Plan (2024-2028)

Primary GCM Objectives

GCM Guiding Principles*

*All practices are to uphold the ten guiding principles of the GCM. This practice particularly exemplifies these listed principles.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dates

2024 - 2028

Geographic scope

Country:

El Salvador

Regions:

Americas

Sub Regions:

Central America

Summary

As part of its commitment to strengthening migration governance, the government of El Salvador, a Champion Country of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM), developed and launched its GCM National Implementation Plan in July 2024. This Plan establishes a structured framework to enhance migration management by outlining targeted interventions across key thematic areas and setting clear goals. A core feature of the Plan is its emphasis on multi-stakeholder coordination, ensuring the active involvement of governmental institutions, civil society, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and other relevant actors. By fostering collaboration, the Plan aims to align efforts and resources toward improved migration governance and sustainable outcomes, under six thematic areas: Prevention of Irregular Migration: Tackles the root causes of irregular migration by promoting regular pathways and addressing economic, environmental, and family reunification factors. Assistance and Protection: Ensures the protection of the human rights of Salvadoran and foreign migrants, safeguarding their security, family unity, and protection from violence and discrimination. Labor Mobility: Advocates for safe and regular labor migration, ethical recruitment, skills recognition, and the protection of migrant workers’ rights. Diaspora Support: Strengthens the role of the Salvadoran diaspora in national development, fostering their inclusion in public policies and initiatives. Reintegration: Facilitates the sustainable reintegration of returnees by promoting employment, economic development, and the protection of their rights. Environmental Factors: Addresses migration linked to environmental degradation and climate change, promoting adaptation, resilience, and the protection of affected populations. The development of the Plan was consultative, incorporating a whole-of-government approach through the establishment of the National Coordination Mechanism on Human Mobility (NCM) which is made up of 47 government entities, presided over by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Deputy Minister of Diaspora and Human Mobility, and organized into six thematic working groups that align with the Plan’s priority areas. The process was based on the guidance designed by the United Nations Network on Migration (Network) to support governments and relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the GCM. Support was facilitated by the EU-funded Building Migration Partnership programme which is piloting the GCM Capacity Building Mechanism’s Demand-driven Facility.

Benefit and Impact

The GCM National Implementation Plan is the culmination of an extensive and participatory process that included identifying relevant actors to be consulted in a whole-of-society and whole-of-government manner, assessing the most pressing migration challenges and opportunities, outlining interventions to be conducted in response. The Plan provides a roadmap of actions for the Government to take to accelerate GCM implementation. The benefits of implementation will ultimately allow the Government and partners to work together to make migration more safe, orderly and regular.

Key Lessons

The technical support provided by the United Nations Network on Migration at country and global level was crucial in shaping this process. The Network's coordinated efforts played a key role in assessing the country’s migration challenges and aligning them with GCM objectives. By facilitating consultations, offering technical expertise, and providing resources, the Network ensured that the Plan addressed the most pressing needs and reflected a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach. This collaboration was instrumental in identifying gaps, setting clear targets, and ensuring that the Plan was fully integrated into national frameworks and capacities.

Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)

For effective coordination, it is essential to establish strong horizontal and vertical communication among focal points in each thematic area, ensuring initiatives are developed collaboratively. Each country should assign a focal point within each institution, while also securing commitment from managerial and senior leadership to ensure coordinated, coherent decision-making aligned with the Plan. Additionally, strengthening the capacities of institutions that need further expertise in migration issues will enhance the consistency and effectiveness of actions.

Innovation

The GCM National Implementation Plan is the first of its kind in the region, providing a model for other countries to follow in creating their own plans. It clearly defines the responsible institutions, expected results, and goals for each intervention by the end of the implementation period. The Plan's development activated at least three of its six thematic areas. For each area, there is an NCM working group with a relevant institution in the lead to oversee progress and coordinate efforts for implementation. Notably, the environmental factors working group has taken concrete steps to integrate migration with climate planning, addressing environmentally driven migration with timely, evidence-based actions.

Additional Images

Date submitted:

05 March 2025

Disclaimer: The content of this practice reflects the views of the implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Network on Migration, and its members.

 

 

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).