Post 2015: Global Action for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future

CHApTER nInE
In view of the
evidence on the
link to global
poverty reduction
as well as the
ageing population
in many countries,
the UN will
need to take a
stronger lead on
migration-related
issues and find
ways for the 214
million migrants
worldwide to have
a voice.
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the agency should provide services to members of
the un, although placing it outside the un structure
might avoid excessive bureaucracy and political
interference. the agency would be accountable
to the participating governments. In cooperation
with the private sector, the governments of migrantreceiving
countries would establish where and how
many migrant workers were required and for what
period of time. De buil and Siegel (2012) suggest
that such an agency would:
• Assess the value of qualifications (creating
equivalency scales) around the world.
• Ensure that job contracts satisfy minimum
labour standards and monitoring them.
• Match potential migrants with offers of jobs.
time-limited labour contracts would be issued
but could be renewed if appropriate.
• Facilitate the issuing of visas.
clearly, the agency would have to address issues
such as how to choose between similarly qualified
migrants, and how to assess each migrant’s skills,
which would also have to be transferable across
participating countries.
9.6 The future framework
9.6.1 Migration unit in the Office of the
Secretary General
the last 20 years have seen several reports making
recommendations on how to fill the global
governance gap on migration. owing to the limited
political will for substantial changes, the Global
Forum on migration and Development (GFmD) was
created in 2007. It is a government-led, voluntary,
non-binding and informal consultative process.
Since its first meeting, the range of issues discussed
has broadened and participation has increased (the
uSa sent its first senior official in 2009), although
EuropEan rEport on DEvElopmEnt 2013
some governments resist the establishment of
a GFmD secretariat (newland, 2010). beyond
government consultations, the GFmD also provides
a platform for exchange among cSos. according
to betts (2010), the weaknesses of the GFmD are
that it is (a) not permanent; (b) outside the un;
(c) informal; and (d) theme-based, which leads
to little continuity or follow-up, e.g. the work on
migration and development excludes issues such as
human rights. In addition, it is attended mainly by
representatives from interior ministries rather than
from the ministries of foreign affairs, employment
or development.
Following the 2013 High level Dialogue on
International migration and Development, it may
be decided to establish a migration unit within
the office of the Secretary-General, with high
status and expertise (newland, 2010). this would
ensure that the cross-cutting nature of migration
and its effects on other sectors could be taken into
account at a high level. Influential governments
have not supported the creation of a new migration
institution. In view of increasing migration flows
and the evidence on the link to global poverty
reduction as well as the ageing population in many
countries, however, the un will need to take a
stronger lead on migration-related issues and find
ways for the 214 million migrants worldwide to have
a voice. the unit would act as an internal think tank
for policy development (newland, 2010) and work
in close cooperation with the GmG, e.g. in the case
of labour mobility, it would draw on the expertise
of the relevant GmG sub-group and lead agencies.
one of its key functions would be to assess, with
input from governments, regional and international
institutions and non-governmental stakeholders,
how to improve (labour) migration governance,
facilitate mobility and provide greater protection for
migrants. In coordination with the GmG, the unit
might help to clarify and define mandates on labour
mobility/migration among various international
organisations. the office could also assume some
of the functions of a GFmD secretariat.