Advancing Migration Governance in the UNECE Region: Donors Call for Continued Support to the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund 

I am pleased to be able to deliver this statement on behalf of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.  

As we gather for the regional review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), we, the contributors to the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (Migration MPTF) from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region, reaffirm our commitment to support the Fund and call on other Member States to join us in contributing. 

Human mobility presents both opportunities and challenges. While regular migration holds potential for sustainable development, irregular migration obstructs these benefits for both the states and the migrants themselves. The vision of the GCM offers a rights-based framework for safe and better-managed migration, while respecting national sovereignty and security, that requires international cooperation, including to reduce irregular and dangerous journeys that take such a heavy human toll.  

The Migration MPTF supports the implementation of the GCM to encourage the adoption of migration approaches that benefit communities of origin, transit, and destination, as well as the lives of migrants, and builds on a 360-degree vision of international migration. The Fund brings together the entire UN system, under the United Nations Network on Migration and works hand in hand with national partners. The Migration MPTF is the only pooled funding instrument in migration and supports cooperation at all levels by all actors. 

To date, the Migration MPTF has funded 21 Joint Programmes covering all continents and supporting nearly all of the GCM objectives. In our region, we have witnessed impactful initiatives facilitated by the Migration MPTF. In Tajikistan, the Fund has contributed to address the migration-related vulnerabilities of ‘families left behind’, reaching over 130,000 beneficiaries. In North Macedonia, the Fund contributed to enhancing the collection/analysis of migration-related data by strengthening the capacity of over 500 partners and establishing systematic exchanges between institutions within the country and across their borders. We look forward to seeing more efforts to ensure that funded programming encompasses the full range of GCM objectives to fully realise the 360-degree vision of the Compact.  

Together, we have contributed over $51 million USD since the Fund’s inception and, jointly with countries from the global south, we have reached the 2023 funding target of USD 20 million.  

However, continued support is crucial to sustain and expand these efforts. As announced by IOM Director General, Amy Pope, the 2024 funding target is set at USD 25 million. We therefore encourage Member States from our region and beyond to consider contributing to the Migration MPTF. Achieving its funding target for a second consecutive year would allow for the implementation of many more projects aimed at maximising the benefits of migration governance, including through a heightened focus on addressing the impacts of climate change on migration.   

By pooling our resources, we can amplify our collective impact; seize the opportunities of safe and regular migration; and address the risks and challenges for individuals and communities in countries of origin, transit, and destination posed by poorly managed migration.