Region: Global Issues

Four British parliamentarians, Tim Loughton MP, Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP, Kate Green MP and Lord Dubs, travelled to the United Nations to participate in the UN Parliamentary Hearing , entitled ‘Towards a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration’ held 22-23 February 2018 and attended by representatives of some 50 parliaments. Significant focus was on the need for fair treatment of migrants with UK members highlighting the importance of evidence-based policies.

The need for a global compact on migration was emphasized at the Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations in New York from 22 to 23 February 2018. The Hearing allowed MPs to provide a parliamentary perspective on the new UN Global Compact on safe, orderly and regular migration (GCM) currently under negotiation.  Migration is a reality the world over, too often governed in an ad hoc manner. Migrants need more regular pathways to reduce irregular migration and ensure better integration in their host country and its labour market.  

The United Nations is in the process of negotiating a Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration that will be formally adopted at a conference in Morocco in December.  This year’s IPU-UN Parliamentary Hearing will contribute from a parliamentary perspective to the Global Compact. The Hearing, on 22-23 February in New York, will build on a number of parliamentary debates since the landmark 2015 IPU Declaration on “The imperative for fairer, smarter and more humane migration”.