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Add to Preferred SourcesThe head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) wants countries to work together better on migration as world leaders met in New York for the UN General Assembly’s big week, according to an IOM recent announcement. IOM Director General Amy Pope told delegates that countries can’t handle migration alone anymore. She wants to turn migration “from a divisive issue into a shared public good that benefits people and societies.” More people are displaced now than ever before because of wars, disasters, and economic troubles. The 80th UN General Assembly session looked at progress on development goals and rebuilding trust between countries.
Migration touches every part of the world but gets pushed aside in many policy talks. Wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan have forced millions from their homes. Climate disasters across Africa and Asia add to the problem. Countries usually see migration as something to fix instead of something to manage together.
“No country can manage migration alone,” Pope told the assembly. “The multilateral system must deliver practical and principled responses that put people first, protect their rights, and recognize both the challenges and possibilities of human mobility.” IOM wants more legal ways for people to migrate, better help for those going back home, and stronger local responses. The agency is also teaming up with companies to fill worker shortages and protect migrants better.
IOM runs the UN Migration Network and keeps 97% of its staff in the field, not at headquarters. The agency helps governments write migration policies that work for both migrants and the communities that receive them.
Pope’s push comes as climate change displaces more people and rich countries face worker shortages.