Global Forum on Migration and Development

Annual GFMD Themes

Belgium organized and hosted the 1st GFMD in Brussels on 7-9 July 2007. The thematic foci of the meeting reflected the priority themes identified by UN Member States in a survey undertaken by the Belgian Government at the end of 2006. GFMD 2007 examined the impact of migration on social and economic development, in terms of human capital development and labour mobility on the one hand and the contribution of migrant resources (financial as well as skills) on the other hand. Policy coherence between migration and development policies was the second main issue. Horizontal issues, such as human rights, gender and root causes of migration, were also discussed. Operating modalities were put in place, which included a structuring framework to guarantee the continuation of the Forum in the future on a sound basis.

The 2nd GFMD meeting took place in Manila under Philippine chairmanship on 27-30 October 2008; it revolved around the central theme "Protecting and Empowering Migrants for Development". Its goal was to emphasize the human face of migration and the protection of migrants' rights and to examine the impact of such protection in reinforcing development. It also introduced for the first time the concept of "shared responsibility" of governments and other concerned actors in protecting and empowering the migrants and their families.

The 3rd meeting took place in Athens from 2 to 5 November, 2009. The Greek Chair selected as overarching theme: "Integrating Migration Policies into Development Strategies for the Benefit of All". The discussion focused on mainstreaming migration in development planning and achieving the Millenium Development Goals, the impact of the economic crisis for the migration and development nexus, as well as policy coherence and the relationship between migrant integration, reintegration and development.

Mexico chaired the fourth meeting of the GFMD which was held in Puerto Vallarta on 8 to 11 November 2010 around the central theme, "Partnerships for Migration and Human Development -- shared prosperity, shared responsibility". It focused on the concept of partnerships, introduced the new Common Space format of debates in plenary between governments and civil society, and brought a new or renewed focus of the Roundtables on irregular migration, family, gender and climate change. It also included a working session on the Platform for Partnerships (PfP), a support mechanism to facilitate partnerships on current and past GFMD outcomes and follow-up activities, and a Future of the Forum session focused on the GFMD assessment exercise to be undertaken in 2011-2013.

Switzerland organized and hosted the fifth GFMD in Geneva on 1-2 December 2011. The Swiss GFMD held fourteen thematic meetings built upon the content and the key outcomes of previous GFMD meetings and supported by the Chair’s flagship theme Taking Action on Migration and Development-Coherencem Capacity and Cooperation. These thematic themes were structured under the three cluster themes of GFMD 2011- labour mobility and development (cluster I), addressing irregular migration through coherent migration and development strategies (cluster II) and tools for evidence- based migration and development policies (cluster III).  The results of these thematic meetings were reported during the 2011 GFMD Concluding Debate. GFMD 2011 also convened the first phase of the GFMD Assessment exercise which produced a draft assessment report based on the responses of 66 governments and 10 GFMD observers.

Since 2007 to 2011, representatives of around 160 Member-States and UN Observers, as well as over 30 international organizations have participated in the annual government meeting of the GFMD, while between 200 to 400 varied actors have participated in the Civil Society Days

Download the Annual Themes Concept Paper:

• Mexico GFMD 2010 [ FR | ES ]
• Athens GFMD 2009 [ FR | ES ]
• Manila GFMD 2008 [ FR | ES ]
• Brussels GFMD 2007 [ FR | ES ]