Undeniable Trends That Make International Cooperation on Migration Essential

Children celebrate International Migrants Day in Egypt, 18 December 2016. Photo: Ingy Mehanna/UN Migration Agency (IOM) 2016

These trends point more than ever to the need for better international migration governance and cooperation:

1. Proven, Overwhelming Benefits: Migration has been beneficial for the people and economies of countries of origin, destination and transit throughout history.
2. Crisis Situations: Although, most migration today is voluntary and regular, too many people are still forced from their homes by conflict, human rights abuses, natural or man-made disasters and extreme poverty.
3. Countries with Numerous Migration Statuses: Countries are at once countries of origin, transit and destination for migrants, like never before.
4. South-South Migration: Capacities and resources in poorer countries have not kept pace with growing South-South migration.
5. Population Demographics: The Global North’s population is ageing, and a massive shortage of workers is predicted as the working age population drops. In many countries, migration has either slowed or even reversed the ageing trend and the slide towards untenable ratios between working and non-working populations.
6. Urban Pull: The majority of migrants live in urban areas, as do 60% of refugees, and virtually all related population growth is forecast to occur in cities and urban areas (especially in Asia and Africa).
7. Anti-Migrant Nationalism: Intense national anti-migrant, xenophobic sentiments are prevalent worldwide.

This story was posted by Olivia Headon, the UN Migration Agency’s Information Officer for Emergency based in the Organization’s Geneva Headquarters. To contact Olivia, please email: oheadon@iom.int.