• Africa and the Middle East

    Throughout its history, Africa has experienced important voluntary and forced migratory movements, which have contributed to its contemporary demographic landscape. Significant internal migratory movements – such as rural – urban migration – add to the complexity of the picture. Populations of many border regions live in inherently unstable situations, in part due to war, ethnic fighting and/or drought. They are also engaged in a perpetual cycle of migration due to cross-border economic activity and pastoralist traditions. Cross-border migration in Africa also represents an important source of livelihoods and a coping strategy for ecological and economic downturns; it is also key to understanding, as well as forecasting, the onset and evolution of humanitarian disasters.

    International migration management cannot afford to overlook the dimension of migration in Africa, as it has a major impact on irregular migration, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, smuggling and trafficking of women and children, management and protection of refugees and other vulnerable groups, ethnic conflicts and border management – it also has long-term implications on national, regional and international security.

    The globalization process will also influence migration as it facilitates the movement of people across the various regions in Africa (through regional integration) and to other regions outside the continent, and the number of migrants is expected to increase, which will have social, economic, environmental and political implications and pose challenges for policymakers in the management of migration.

    Sub‑Saharan Africa has also generated significant outflows of intercontinental migration, mainly to Western Europe, but also to North America and the Arab region. Intercontinental migration has diversified, however, and increasingly includes unskilled labour migrants who emigrate in significant numbers to Europe, North America and the Middle East.

    Within Africa, migrants are not distributed evenly among the various regions. By 2000, 42 percent of migrants lived in West African countries; 28 percent in Eastern Africa; 12 percent in Northern Africa; and 9 percent in Middle and Southern Africa. Against this backdrop, internal, regional and out-of-Africa migration is occurring on a scale larger than in any other region.

    IOM Regional Geographical Coverage

  • Migration Research

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducts and supports research designed to guide and inform migration policy and practice. The Migration Policy Research Division is based at IOM Headquarters within the Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, and has the institutional responsibility for supporting the conduct and management of applied research on salient migration topics. Research is designed to enhance IOM's programme delivery and contribute to a broader understanding of migration patterns and processes, as well as the links between migration research and migration policy and practice. Research also feeds directly into IOM’s role as a publisher of applied research findings, including through IOM's flagship publication, the World Migration Report, papers published in the Migration Research Series, and IOM Migration Profiles.

    The Research Objectives of the Migration Policy Research Division include:

    • Contributing to IOM's efforts to inform and shape migration policy agendas through policy-oriented research.
    • Supporting and strengthening research expertise within the Organization; providing technical support and guidance to field offices and departments at headquaters in developing (and implementing) research projects; and reviewing final reports/research/studies for publication.
    • Providing technical expert advice to governments and institutions; supporting efforts to enhance research capacities of governments and other bodies in order to contribute to sound policy-making.
    • Monitoring and supporting IOM migration research activities, and contributing to the knowledge base through gathering lessons learned and identifying best practices in activities related to migration research.
    • Identifying, promoting and fostering strategic and technical partnerships globally in the area of migration research.
    • Initiating research/studies in strategic areas of interest designed to enhance and improve IOM's programme delivery.

    Related Documents

    Related Links

  • Multilateral Processes

    The Multilateral Processes Division (MPD) of the Department for International Cooperation and Partnerships was established in 2015 as a body through which IOM’s positions and policies in relation to international migration policy could be disseminated. MPD’s main focus began with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the SDGs continue to remain a large part of the Division’s work. The MPD has since expanded to encompass not only the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but a variety of other multilateral processes such as:

    • Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)
    • Addis Ababa Action Agenda (Financing for Development)
    • Habitat III
    • The New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants
    • The Grand Bargain

    Whom do we work with?

    Under the department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, the Division works with IOM partners and colleagues. The Division also frequently meets with colleagues from other UN agencies that work on the subject of migrants and migration, as well as governments, IOM missions and country offices.

    The Multilateral Processes Division engages in forums and dialogues related to international migration policy and law. The MPD is involved with the development of the Migration Governance Index, a policy-benchmarking framework aiming to offer insights on policy levers that countries can action to strengthen their migration governance, as well as identify best practices for future programming.

     

    Contacts

    Maurizio Busatti 
    Head, Multilateral Processes Division
    Email: mbusatti@iom.int

    Tamara Keating
    Senior Policy and Liaison Officer
    Email: tkeating@iom.int

    David Martineau
    Associate Policy Officer, MPD
    Email: dmartineau@iom.int

    Neha Sinha
    Associate Migration Policy Officer, MPD
    Email: nsinha@iom.int

    Annalisa Pellegrino 
    Associate Migration Policy Officer, MPD
    Email: anpellegrino@iom.int

    Relevant Documents

    Publications

    Ongoing Workstreams

    Past Events

  • International Dialogue on Migration

    The past decades have witnessed an expansion of inter-governmental and other initiatives to develop joint approaches to migration. IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) has held a pioneering role in bringing together all migration stakeholders, at a global level, for free and open discussions on the opportunities and challenges which migration presents.

    The IDM is IOM’s principal forum for migration policy dialogue. Founded in 2001 and rooted in IOM’s Constitution and Strategy, the IDM is open to IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations, migrants, and partners from media, academia or the private sector. The IDM provides a space to analyse current and emerging issues in migration governance and to exchange experiences, policy approaches and effective practices.

    Every year, the IDM is guided by an overarching theme selected by the IOM membership through a process of informal consultations. The annual theme is elaborated during workshops bringing together migration policymakers and practitioners from around the world.

     

    2019
    2018
    2017

    Strengthening international cooperation on and governance of migration towards the adoption of a global compact on migration in 2018

    2016

    Follow-up and Review of Migration in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

    2015
    2014

    Human Mobility and Development: Emerging Trends and New Opportunities for Partnerships

    2013
    2012

    Managing Migration in Crisis Situations

    2011

    The Future of Migration: Building Capacities for Change

    2010

    Migration and Social Change

    2009

    Human Rights and Migration: Working Together for Safe, Dignified and Secure Migration

    2008

    Return Migration: Challenges and Opportunities

    2007

    Migration Management in the Evolving Global Economy

    2006

    Partnerships in Migration

    2005

    Towards Policy Coherence on Migration

    2004

    Valuing Migration

    2003

    Migration in a Globalized World

    2002
    2001

    Final Reports

    Information Sheets

    Publications

  • Migration Policy Research

    Migration Policy

    IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization working with migrants and governments to respond to contemporary migration challenges. Having more than 65 years of worldwide operational experience, IOM is uniquely positioned to build on its grassroots experience and provide guidance on migration policy.

    IOM provides information, advice and support to further the efforts of its stakeholders to develop effective national, regional and global migration management policies and strategies.

    One of IOM’s strategic priorities in the area of migration policy is to contribute to increased dialogue between migration stakeholders at bilateral, regional and global levels. This strategic priority complements and enhances another of IOM’s strategic priorities, which is to strengthen governmental capacity to monitor and manage migration flows through effective policymaking, policy dialogue, information sharing and cooperation.

    Migration Research

    IOM conducts research designed to guide and inform migration policy and practice. The organization provides a unique space for consultation between researchers and policy makers. Research results are disseminated through numerous publications worldwide

    IOM’s research activities world-wide encompass several migration management topics, including migration trends and data, international migration law, migration and development, health and migration, counter-trafficking, labour migration, trade, remittances, irregular migration, migrant smuggling, integration, and return migration.

    About Migration Research

  • World Migration Report

    The World Migration Report, IOM's flagship publication features the latest trends in international migration, discusses emerging policy issues and provides regional recent developments in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania.

    2018 World Migration Report

    The World Migration Report 2018 is the ninth in the series. Since 2000, IOM has been producing world migration reports to contribute to increased understanding of migration throughout the world. This new edition presents key data and information on migration as well as thematic chapters on highly topical migration issues.

    Read More
    2015 Migrants and Cities: New Partnership to Manage Mobility

    The World Migration Report 2015 contributes to the global debate on migration and urbanization.

    Read More
    2013 Migrant Well-being and Development

    The World Migration Report 2013 investigates how migration affects the well-being of migrants globally, and explores the link between migrant well-being and development.

    Read More
    2011 Communicating Effectively about Migration - Special 60th Anniversary Edition

    IOM's World Migration Report 2011 directly addresses the challenges faced in this era of globalization and unprecedented human mobility by calling for a fundamental shift in the way we communicate about migration.

    Read More
    2010 The Future of Migration: Building Capacities for Change

    The World Migration Report 2010 aims to promote a focus on building capacities to enable states and other stakeholders to respond to and plan for migration effectively and in a sustainable way.

    Read More
    2008 Managing Labour Mobility in the Evolving Global Economy

    The World Migration Report 2008 tackles the nature of migration directly and seeks to identify policy options that might contribute to the development of broad and coherent strategies to better match demand for migrant workers with supply in safe, humane and orderly ways.

    Read More
    2005 Costs and Benefits of International Migration

    World Migration 2005 analyzes the effects of globalization, trade liberalization, economic integration and the widening gap between rich and poor nations on migration flows.

    Read More
    2003 Managing Migration - Challenges and Responses for People on the Move

    IOM's second World Migration Report, published in June 2003 is organized around the core theme of migration management. Policy responses to specific migration issues are discussed in a series of essays with varying geographical and thematic focus.

    Read More
    2000 World Migration Report

    The World Migration Report 2000 examines the scale of migration and characteristics of international migrants, the types of movements underway, the factors that contribute to migration, the global context in which these movements occur, and the policy issues associated with these trends.

    Read More

  • Inter-Regional Forums on Migration

  • Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration

    In today’s increasingly interconnected world, migration has been rising steadily towards the top of the international political agenda. This has necessitated for policy dialogue and international collaboration on migration through the establishment of informal, States-owned consultation mechanisms on migration at the regional, inter-regional and the global levels.

    Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on migration (ISCM) are state-led, restricted, ongoing information-sharing and policy dialogue forums at the regional, inter-regional or global level for those States with an interest in promoting cooperation in the field of migration.

    Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on migration may either be officially associated with formal regional institutions, or be informal and non-binding. Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on migration may allow participation of non-state stakeholders, e.g. inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations or other civil society representatives, as members or observers.

    This interactive, participatory and continuous policy dialogue advances the understanding of the opportunities and challenges of migration, the identification and development of effective policies for addressing those challenges, and ultimately contributes to a process which culminates in a policy decision on migration at the regional, inter-regional or global level and / or is translated into national migration policies.

    Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on migration can be global (see global process on migration), inter-regional (bridging two or more regions) or regional. The defining characteristic is that they are state-led process dealing with migration. The global processes on migration are usually facilitated by an intergovernmental organization.

    interstate

    • Regional Consultative Processes

      Regional Consultative Processes on migration (RCP) are state-led, ongoing, regional information-sharing and policy dialogue meetings dedicated to discussing specific migration issue(s) in a cooperative manner among States from an agreed (usually geographical) region, and may either be officially associated with formal regional institutions, or be informal and non-binding. The term ‘region’ mostly refers to a geographical region, but sometimes can be used also figuratively depending on the scope of the migration issue(s) to be addressed, e.g. to describe a group of predominantly destination or origin countries. Often in literature on migration all ISCMs are referred to as RCPs.

    • Inter-Regional Forums

      Inter-Regional Forums on Migration (IRFs) are state-led, repeated, information-sharing and policy dialogue meetings on migration usually connecting two or more regions. IRFs may either be officially associated with formal inter-regional institutions, or be informal and non-binding. Often any process on migration, be it regional or inter-regional, is referred to as an RCP. However, since the number of inter-state-consultation mechanisms and the frequency of their meetings have grown, it is important to distinguish them as regional (RCPs) and inter-regional (IRFs) processes on migration.

    • Global Processes

      Global Processes on Migration are policy dialogue forums on migration at the global level. They may discuss overall migration governance at the global level, or be theme specific and look at the interlinkages between migration and other areas, e.g. development, labour, etc. Global processes on migration include the IOM plenary consultations and discussions on migration, the Global Meetings of RCPs and IRFs, the UN High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, the GFMD, and targeted migration consultations and discussions in global bodies that have specific responsibilities over certain elements of migration through international conventions and protocols (i.e., International Labour Organization (ILO), for migrant labour convention; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for refugee and asylum convention and protocol; and UNODC, for transnational crime convention and its protocols on smuggling and trafficking).

    • IOM’s Role in Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration

      Contributing to increased dialogue between migration stakeholders at bilateral, regional and global levels is one of IOM’s strategic priorities in the area of migration policy.

      IOM’s engagement in Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration aims at providing evidence-based technical support, informing and influencing policy-making in the field of migration governance, advancing multi-lateral understanding and action on migration issues and contributing to practical solutions to contemporary migration challenges.

      IOM has been facilitating contact and exchange among RCPs/IRFs as well as between RCPs/IRFs and other actors/fora, such as the global processes on migration, civil society and other international organizations. IOM has implemented numerous projects that support the activities of various Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration.

    • Research on ISCMs

      IOM has conducted research and produced publications on migration processes. The most notable are the following:

    • IOM participation in ISCMs

      IOM can participate in Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration as a participant or observer. At the invitation of the participating governments IOM provides technical and administrative secretariat services to Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration or implements projects in support of the secretariats.

      IOM is invited to participate in meetings of almost every ISCM.

      IOM as a participant/member in ISCMs:

      • IOM is a participant in the Bali Process Steering group and in IGC.
      • IOM leads the IDM and coordinates the Global RCP Meetings.

      IOM as an observer to ISCMs:

      • Budapest Process
      • IGAD RCP
      • MIDWA
      • Puebla Process (RCM)
      • SACM
      • 5+5 Dialogue on Migration in the Western Mediterranean
      • Asia - EU Dialogue on Labour Migration
      • AFML
      • EU-LAC Bi-regional Dialogue on Migration
      • FIBEMYD
      • Intra-Regional Forum on Migration in Africa
      • Khartoum Process
      • MTM
      • Rabat Process
      • Tripoli Process
      • GFMD
      • UN HLD on International Migration and Development

      Secretariat Services to ISCMs:

      IOM serves as technical secretariat for the following ISCMs:

      • Almaty Process (together with UNHCR)
      • Colombo Process
      • MIDSA (together with the Southern African Migration Programme)
      • Puebla Process
      • SACM
      • Asia - EU Dialogue on Labour Migration
      • Bali Process (together with UNHCR)
      • Intra-Regional Forum on Migration in Africa (Pan African Forum)
      • IDM
      • as well as the Global RCP Meetings.

      Secretariat support is also provided to the following processes having own secretariats:

      • IGAD RCP (in consultation with IGAD Secretariat and AUC)
      • MIDCAS (in consultation with ECCAS)
      • MIDCOM (in consultation with COMESA)
      • MIDWA (in consultation with ECOWAS)
      • 5+5 Dialogue on Migration in the Western Mediterranean (in consultation with the Chair in office and PAM Secretariat)
      • ACP –EU Dialogue on Migration (through the ACP-EU Migration Action, in consultation with ACP Secretariat and EC)
      • EU-LAC Bi-regional Dialogue on Migration (together with International and Ibero-American Foundation of Public Administration and Policies (FIIAPP)

      IOM administratively hosts:

      • the IGC secretariat and
      • GFMD Support Unit.

    • IOM focal point for ISCMs

      IOM Headquarters / International Partnerships Division (IPD) coordinates, develops and disseminates IOM’s contributions to Inter-State consultation mechanisms on migration and supports IOM’s participation to Regional (RCPs), Inter-Regional (IRFs) and Global Consultative Processes on Migration as a member, partner, observer or provider of technical expertise or secretariat support according to the participating governments requests.

      IPD provides support to IOM regional and country offices on all RCP / IRF related matters by: (i) Collecting and sharing information from all RCPs / IRFs on the dedicated section of IOM website and in the RCP / IRF Newsletter; (ii) Providing an overview of all important RCP / IRF meetings through the RCP / IRF Meetings Calendar; (iii) Facilitating information sharing and cross-fertilization between RCPs / IRFs and their Secretariats. It serves as a global focal point for information and exchange among the various consultative Processes, and to this end also holds regular Global Meetings of RCP Chairs and Secretariats.

    ISCM Calendar

    ISCM Highlights Newsletter

    ISCM Updates

    Key Documents

    Publication

  • Migration Law

    International Migration Law (IML), which is the international legal framework governing migration, is not covered by any one legal instrument or norm. Instead, IML is an umbrella term covering a variety of principles and rules that together regulate the international obligations of States with regard to migrants. Such broad range of principles and rules belong to numerous branches of international law such as human rights law, humanitarian law, labour law, refugee law, consular law and maritime law.

    IOM works to increase knowledge and acceptance of the legal instruments that protect migrants’ rights, as well as the ratification and implementation status of these instruments. It also assists States in developing migration policies and legislation that conform to IML in order to manage migration more effectively and in a manner consistent with international law.

    In order to more effectively carry out its work on IML, IOM has established the International Migration Law Unit.

    Since there is no single instrument or norm covering all the relevant rights and duties of migrants, it is important to collect information on IML and frame it in an accessible and comprehensible way. IOM seeks to consolidate IML information and make it more easily accessible through legal research and its online migration law database. IOM also works to disseminate information on IML in order to spread awareness to academics, government policy makers, International Organizations (IOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

    The IML Unit consults with governments on migration legislation to make the legislation more effective and to bring it more in line with regional and international standards. The Unit also carries out training and capacity building activities on IML.

    IOM's Objectives

     

    IOM is dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of IML in order to assist States in managing migration more effectively and humanely. IOM’s efforts on this behalf include:

    • Training. Done on a regular basis and on request. The IML Unit has committed itself to informing individuals and governments on IML. The Unit conducts two annual training courses, one in Sanremo, Italy in collaboration with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) and the other in New York in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), with additional training seminars available at the regional or country level upon request.

      Training seminars cover, inter alia, human rights and migration, transnational criminal law, the rights of migrant detainees and international rules on detention, protection of groups at risk, international refugee law, and international labour law and the protection of non-nationals.

    • Research.

    • Direct Assistance to States and to Human Rights Mechanisms.

      1. Since 1998, IOM has been part of the Steering Committee for the Promotion of the Ratification of the UN Migrant Workers Convention, along with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and a number of NGOs working on migration issues. In order to promote this treaty and other important IML instruments, IOM regularly collaborates with the Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, especially the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. In particular, it works closely with the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. IOM also advises the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Council.

      2. The Unit assists governments to develop and implement migration legislation and procedures consistent with applicable international and regional standards. The objective is to strengthen the capacity of governments to govern migration more effectively and consistent with the rule of law. In this context, the Unit offers advice and information to governments considering the ratification of relevant international or regional treaties and provides legal consultancy and revision of national migration legislation for individual governments at their request. It offers advice on Migration Law also to other actors.

     

    Principal Beneficiaries

    Participants in IOM’s training programme include government officials and members of IOs and NGOs.

    Each year, in the IOM Annual Report, statistics are provided related to the implementation of MiGoF Principle 1 on Adherence to International Standards and Fulfilment of Migrants’ Rights.

     

    Related Links

  • Our Work