Migration governance at the global level: A multi-stakeholder regime

Global migration governance has evolved from international cooperation on migration towards its current multi-stakeholder regime under the guidance of the United Nations.⁸ Member States reiterated throughout the negotiations for the Global Compact for Migration that migration governance is a core element of national sovereignty, and emphasized the role of international cooperation on migration under the framework of the Global Compact for Migration. ⁹ 

Unlike other areas of globalization – such as trade, for instance – there is no single regime governing human mobility at the global level.¹⁰ Global discussions around the governance of migration take place in different global and regional forums concurrently, and global governance of migration has been described as unstable, flexible, changing, fragmented and weak at best or non-existent in some areas.¹¹ Nevertheless, the United Nations General Assembly´s New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants in 2016, the subsequent elaboration of the Global Compact for Migration in 2018 and the unanimous approval of the IMRF Progress Declaration four years later represent key milestones on the path towards global migration governance.¹² These milestones reflect the progress made by States and other actors in working towards a more integrated approach to migration governance, building on years of collaboration outside formal United Nations processes, particularly through the Global Forum on Migration and Development. The flexibility and the non-binding legal nature of the global migration governance regime arise from the desire of States to agree on a global framework for international cooperation on migration without legally binding commitments that could have presented political challenges at the national level. The flexibility of global migration governance also reflects the centrality of regional dialogue and consultations that have played a vital role in the establishment of today’s global migration institutions after the Second World War and that have continued to play a central role since then.¹³ 

In the last two decades, the number and range of actors involved in shaping global migration governance has been increasing, as reflected in the participation of significant numbers of non-State actors in the IMRF.¹⁴ These stakeholders were already present, vocal and visible in the process leading up to the adoption of the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, advocating for rights and protection, including the human rights of migrants.¹⁵ Migrant groups and migrant-led organizations were pivotal to the inclusion of the voices of migrants in global dialogues, thanks to their advocacy for the importance of inclusive governance.¹⁶ Additionally, the private sector has promoted innovative and practical solutions to challenges faced by migrants, through groups such as the Tent partnership for refugees, Concordia, the Global Skills Partnership and the GFMD business mechanism. Actions led by the private sector at the global level have spearheaded policy changes implemented in line with key objectives of the Global Compact for Migration. These actors have contributed to building the current multi‑stakeholder architecture of migration governance at the global level, increasing the demand for transparency, a rights-centred approach and adopting innovative policy measures in collaboration with States and international agencies.¹⁷

Within States, local and regional governments are increasingly influential in shaping the global migration agenda, collaborating to create the narratives that sustain it.¹⁸ Cities have become central actors in the global discussions on migration, which reflects the fact that their cooperation and activities directly affect the lives of migrants who live in urban areas.¹⁹ For example, the Mayors Migration Council has played a central role in discussions around climate governance, reception and integration. In addition to global, national and local migration governance, transgovernance across levels is emerging in many States, where actors move from one level of governance to another in order to push for their interests or ensure that their interests are protected.²⁰