ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2025/Policy brief.13
Country: Arab region
Publication Type: Policy briefs
Cluster: Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development
Focus Area: Governance & enabling environment, Population dynamics & migration
Initiatives: Development challenges, Governance and institution building, Strengthening transboundary risk mitigation, International migration
SDGs: Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Keywords: Arab countries, Governance, International migration, Labour mobility, Migration, Recommendations, Regional cooperation, Remittances
Advancing the Implementation of the Global Compact on Migration in the Arab Region: Progress and priorities on the road to the 2026 International Migration Review Forum
December 2025
This policy brief outlines regional progress and strategic priorities for advancing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the Arab region in preparation for the 2026 International Migration Review Forum. Drawing on outcomes from the second regional Global Compact review held in Cairo in July 2024, it highlights key trends and governance challenges shaping migration in the region. With 44.5 million migrants hosted and 37.2 million emigrants recorded in 2024, alongside significant intraregional mobility and labour migration, the Arab region remains central to global migration dynamics.
Guided by the Global Compact’s 23 objectives, Arab States have strengthened policy frameworks, integrated migration into national development agendas, and advanced rights-based approaches. Regional leadership is reflected in documented good practices and active engagement with the United Nations Network on Migration, co-chaired by International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. This brief provides actionable recommendations to reinforce governance, protect migrant rights, and promote evidence-based policymaking, ensuring sustained regional progress toward the implementation Global Compact and effective participation in the 2026 International Migration Review Forum.
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Governance & enabling environment, Population dynamics & migration
This policy brief outlines regional progress and strategic priorities for advancing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the Arab region in preparation for the 2026 International Migration Review Forum. Drawing on outcomes from the second regional Global Compact review held in Cairo in July 2024, it highlights key trends and governance challenges shaping migration in the region. With 44.5 million migrants hosted and 37.2 million emigrants recorded in 2024, alongside significant intraregional mobility and labour migration, the Arab region remains central to global migration dynamics.
Guided by the Global Compact’s 23 objectives, Arab States have strengthened policy frameworks, integrated migration into national development agendas, and advanced rights-based approaches. Regional leadership is reflected in documented good practices and active engagement with the United Nations Network on Migration, co-chaired by International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. This brief provides actionable recommendations to reinforce governance, protect migrant rights, and promote evidence-based policymaking, ensuring sustained regional progress toward the implementation Global Compact and effective participation in the 2026 International Migration Review Forum.
