Greetings from Migrant Forum in Asia. We hope all goes well with you. We are writing to share to you further updates on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Please find below the update on the thematic consultation of the Global Compact, the results of the GFMD 2017 Discussions and upcoming activities related to the Global Compact for Migration:

THEMATIC CONSULTATIONS

The second thematic consultation was held on 22-23 May 2017 in New York, USA and focused on Addressing the drivers of migration including adverse effects of climate change, natural disasters and human-made crises, through protection and assistance, sustainable development, poverty eradication, conflict prevention and
resolution. The background documents from the thematic consultation including interventions from Governments is available for download in the following link: http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/drivers-migration

We are also sharing with you the interventions of speakers from Asia from our partner organization, INSAN Association represented by Roula Hamati and from Migrant Forum in Asia, Rex Varona.

The third thematic consultation held in Geneva, Switzerland on 19-20 June 2017 and focused on International cooperation and governance of migration in all its dimensions, including at borders, on transit, entry, return, readmission, integration and reintegration. The background document from the thematic consultations can be
found here: http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/international-cooperation . We are also sharing with you MFA’s intervention for the third thematic consultation.

The fourth thematic consultation is happening this week (24-25 July 2017) in New York, USA with the theme Contributions of migrants and diasporas to all dimensions of sustainable development, including remittances and portability of earned benefits. The background documents and other relevant information for the fourth consultation can be found here: http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/contributions-migrants. For easier reference we are sending as attachment issue briefs 1-4 for all the thematic consultations.

REGISTRATION FOR UPCOMING THEMATIC CONSULTATIONS

There are still two other upcoming thematic consultations on the Global Compact. Please find below more information on the upcoming thematic consultations as well the deadline for registration (you may apply through this link https://fs22.formsite.com/unngls/form45/index.html :

4-5 September 2017 – Vienna – Smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons and contemporary forms of slavery, including appropriate identification, protection & assistance to migrants & trafficking victims
APPLY BY 31 JULY

2-3 October 2017 – Geneva – Irregular migration and regular pathways, including decent work, labour mobility, recognition of skills and qualifications and other relevant measures
APPLY BY 31 AUGUST

GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The official GFMD was held on 28-30 June with the CSO days held on 29 June and 1 July 2017. The GFMD has been recognized by the United Nations Modalities Resolution for the Global Compact for Migration as an important platform to contribute to the negotiations of the Compact. The Modalities resolution paragraph
22 invites the GFMD to contribute to the preparatory process for the Compact. In line with this, the GFMD has organized two dialogues on the Global Compact for Migration and is in the process of preparing a report to contribute to the consultations of the Global Compact and will be submitted in time for the stock-taking. (more
information on the consultations can be found here: http://www.gfmd.org/docs/germany-morocco-2017-2018.

The recent GFMD in Berlin Germany focused its discussions on the Global Compact with the theme: “Towards a Global Social Contract on Migration and Development”. From the discussions and deliberation in the GFMD it seems that the member states are looking towards a non-binding negotiated compact that will follow the tract of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The current discussions and deliberations on the Global Compact for Migration at the GFMD are dominated by Western Governments with very few interventions from Asian Governments. There is no current draft of the compact states are yet to decide what the compact will be.

The GFMD Civil Society Days for 2017 also focused on the Global Compact with the theme: Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration Now: Mechanics of a Compact worth agreeing to. During the CSD a session was held on civil society’s redlines and common messages towards the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration. Please find attached the report of the discussions outlining CSO’s priority issues for the compact as well as other relevant documents to the global compact from the 2017 GFMD.

PEOPLES GLOBAL ACTION (PGA) ON MIGRATION DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The PGA was held in Berlin Germany on 3-4 August 2017 with the theme Power, People and Policies: A critical Moment for the Future of Migrant Rights. One of the thematic sessions of the PGA this year focused on the Global Compact for Migration. During the sessions emphasis was put on the need to engage governments at the
national level as national governments will be key to the negotiations and deliberations on the compact. It is important for CSOs to work with their national governments, know who represents the national governments in the thematic discussions as well as in the upcoming negotiations in February 2018.

REFUGEE COMPACT FIRST THEMATIC 10 JULY

The first thematic discussion for the Global Compact on Refugees took place on 10 July, at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva. Find out more about the Refugee Compact and how to engage at UNHCR’s Refugee Compact
webpage: http://www.unhcr.org/towards-a-global-compact-on-refugees.html

These are the updates we have for now and we will be sending more updates in our next message.

Sincerely,
The MFA Secretariat