Switzerland to support UN in drafting of global compact on migration

The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants adopted by the member states of the UN in September 2016 launched a two-year process to draft a global compact on refugees and a global compact on migration. The Global Compact on Migration will set out common – although not legally binding – standards to ensure safe, orderly and regulated migration worldwide.

The important role of Switzerland and Mexico is to lead the negotiations and seek compromise between the member states. The two ambassadors already successfully led the drafting of the resolution on modalities adopted on 6 April 2017 by the UN General Assembly, which sets out the stages in the negotiation process scheduled to culminate in the adoption of the Global Compact on Migration in autumn 2018. The two ambassadors will now be focusing their efforts on the content of the global compact.

The process leading to the adoption of the global compact is organised in three phases. Between April and November 2017 member states are invited to share inputs and experiences on the issue of migration. Six sessions in Geneva (3), New York (2) and Vienna (1) addressing specific migration themes are central to this phase. The phase from November 2017 to January 2018 will take stock of the inputs. Finally the two ambassadors will prepare an initial draft of the global compact, which they will present to the international community for intergovernmental negotiations. At the end of the negotiations, a text will be presented to the heads of state and government of the 193 UN member states for adoption.

For Switzerland, this is an opportunity to be closely involved in an important UN process on one of the major issues of our time.

Address for enquiries:

Information FDFA
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Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
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Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs