The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and the League of Arab States (LAS), in collaboration with the members of the Regional United Nations Network on Migration in the Arab Region, and with the support of the Secretariat of the United Nations Network on Migration are coordinating the GCM regional review process in the Arab region. The process includes several components to ensure the widest and most effective engagement of all relevant stakeholders. It culminated in the organization of the Regional Review Conference virtually, on 24 and 25 February 2021.
The Regional Review Conference provided a platform for Member States and all relevant stakeholders to review the implementation of the GCM to effectively inform each edition of the IMRF in line with the 360-degree approach.
The Regional Review Conference brought together representatives of governmental institutions, including ministers and high-level officials from relevant ministries and other government agencies including National Population Councils, the members of the UN Network on Migration and relevant subregional, regional and cross-regional processes, platforms and organizations, including the United Nations regional economic commissions or regional consultative processes, and all the relevant stakeholders including migrants, civil society, migrant and diaspora organizations, faith-based organizations, local authorities and communities, the private sector, trade unions, parliamentarians, national human rights institutions, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, academia, the media and other relevant stakeholders.
The Conference aimed to: 1) Allow participants to undertake a first assessment of progress made in implementing the GCM within the Arab region; 2) Highlight challenges and opportunities, identify gaps, discuss regional priorities, trends, approaches and identify the resources required in implementing the GCM; 3) Provide a common platform for interactions between Member States and all relevant stakeholders and exchange lessons learned and good practices; 4) Take stock of inputs from various other regional review processes, including those organized with regional consultative processes and other stakeholders.
When completed, the regional review process will result in two main outputs: 1) A Member States report that synthesizes the findings of national voluntary GCM reports submitted by Member States; 2) An outcome document, which highlights the key messages that emanated from the regional review and that were voiced by Member States and other stakeholders during the conference and during prior consultation processes.
The outputs of the regional review process may include other reports by stakeholders and will feed into the 2022 IMRF to ensure that the voice of the Arab region contributes to shaping the global dialogue on migration.
Amman, Jordan
