Colombia Launches the Programme for the Global Forum on Migration and Development 2024-2025

Geneva, 12 September 2024

The Chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), Colombia, kicked off the programme for 2024-2025 at a launch event hosted by Ambassador Gustavo Gallón, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva on 3 September 2024. Following an inclusive process of informal consultations with Governments, International Organizations, representatives of Civil Society, Business, Cities and Youth, Colombia presented its vision and the six thematic priorities that emerged from the consultations and will be at the core of the GFMD dialogue in 2024-2025. During the launch event, the Troika representatives - France, the UAE and Colombia - jointly with representatives of GFMD stakeholder groups, highlighted the GFMD’s crucial role in fostering an open and transparent dialogue on migration and development.

The event was attended by 102 participants, including Permanent Representatives and Deputy Permanent Representatives from 47 governments, alongside over 20 GFMD observers including GFMD Mechanisms, Platforms and International Organizations. In a dynamic exchange of perspectives, GFMD stakeholders emphasized the Forum’s pivotal role in discussing compelling issues at the centre of migration policy debates and the substantial contributions migrants make to sustainable development in countries of origin, transit and destination.

To emphasize the richness that the encounter of cultures generates, the food truck Arepa Republic was invited to showcase their culinary proposal, which brings together in a highly symbolic and exquisite formula the gastronomic traditions of Colombia and Venezuela, as well as the flavours of different continents across the world. The evening was also accompanied by the music the ’Transcendentales’, a group using traditional instruments from Colombia, Switzerland, Africa, Europe, to express through the language of music the richness of friendship among countries and cultures.

Ambassador Gallón stressed the importance of innovating the GFMD dialogue through new ways of engaging State and non-State actors that can encourage informal discussions, help identify solutions and forge lasting partnerships. This proposal has been welcomed by members of the GFMD community as an important step forward in line with the evolving nature of the dialogue.

“We need to go beyond a positive discussion: we need concrete outcomes leading to changes of policy. And indeed, we need to replicate the good policies of countries, such as the regularisation programme of Colombia”, said by Stéphane Jaquemet, Director of Policy, International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), GFMD Civil Society Mechanism.

The overarching theme of the GFMD 2024-2025 program will focus on Regular Migration, Labour Mobility and Human Rights: Pillars of Development and Well-Being of Societies, crosscutting through six salient thematic priorities, reflecting the profound realities of our times:

1. Strength in Movement: The Impact of Women on Global Migration and Development
2. Children and Youth on the Move: Innovators for Tomorrow’s Development
3. The Interplay of Media and Culture to Construct and Deconstruct the Reality of Migration
4. Climate Change: Safe Labour Routes as a Bridge to Prosperity
5. Regional Cooperation and Integration to Promote Safe and Regular Migration for Development
6. New Technologies and Digitalization: Improving Migration Management and Regular Migration Pathways

As stated by Ambassador Gallón, “Our aim is that after the GFMD consultations in Geneva in the upcoming months, we can go to the 15th Summit that will take place in Colombia next year, being able to transform an intense dialogue into policies and practices that promote the socio-economic well-being of migrants and society, adhering to international standards that respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of people within the territory of a State without discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, religion or immigration status”.

With the GFMD programme now launched, stakeholders are warmly invited to remain actively involved in the upcoming discussions. Information on key events and opportunities to participate will be available at the following link for the official programme and event calendar.