Some outcomes of the GFMD require multilateral follow-up action by interested governments working together or in cooperation with international organizations and agencies with technical and operational capacities -in particular the members of the Global Migration Group (GMG) - or with non-governmental experts.
In addition, the two GFMD ad hoc thematic Working Groups (WGs) – one on “Protecting and empowering migrants for development” and the other on “Policy coherence, data and research” with government and non-state expert members – help governments prioritize and sharpen the focus on key GFMD outcomes and recommendations. These ad hoc WGs also promote a commonality of understanding within the GFMD about migrant rights’ and governments’ shared responsibility in protecting and empowering migrants, and the importance of policy coherence and related data and research findings, respectively. They are a useful and informal mechanism for interested governments to keep abreast of GFMD outcomes, discuss follow-up actions and agree on how and by whom these could be taken forward for implementation.
Information about GFMD outcomes is of strategic importance, since it can demonstrate the degree to which the Forum usefully contributes to the creation of more effective policies at different levels. It is also important for the viability of the Forum itself. To this end, the GFMD Platform for Partnerships (PfP) was established in 2010 to put the GFMD spotlight on programs and policies that governments have undertaken as a follow-up to GFMD recommendations, or in support of the current GFMD substantive agenda. The PfP is an on-line (see www.gfmd.org/pfp) and off-line tool intended to promote the exchange of practices on migration and development, calls for action, and networking. It is administered by the GFMD Support Unit. GFMD participating governments and observers are thus encouraged to inform the GFMD Support Unit about their actions and initiative as a follow-up to GFMD discussions, for these to be posted on the GFMD web portal, in particular on the PfP. The GFMD could also organize information sessions where Friends of the Forum can continue sharing information and lessons learned in tackling the inter-linked issues of migration and development.