Publications /
Policy Paper

Back
Download PDF
The Global Compact for Migration. Towards Global Governance of International Migration ?
Authors
Matthieu Tardis
February 8, 2019
Related topics: 
International Relations

The “Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration” was adopted in Marrakesh on 10 and 11 December 2018, after 18 months of consultation and negotiation. It is presented as the first United Nations’ agreement on a comprehensive approach to international migration in all its aspects. Although it aims to become the cornerstone of global governance of international migration, sought by the international community, it is however coming up against contradicting national priorities. They are depending on each State’s migration issues; at the mercy of opposition between North and South, the countries of origin and countries of destination.

Furthermore, the Compact illustrates a change in the objectives of global governance of migration, which were originally placed in the post-War context, under the human rights label. At the beginning of the 1990s and the end of communist regimes, migration was perceived as a risk for the stability and security of States. The United Nations then renewed its approach by rather emphasising the positive contribution of migration as a development factor. By highlighting the costs and benefits of migration flows, this approach can reconcile border control policies and the fight against irregular immigration in Northern countries. 

The instruments of global governance of migration illustrate this change. The rights-based approach resulted in the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. This approach was limited by the refusal of Northern countries to ratify it. Nearly 30 years later, the Global Compact for Migration is pursuing a more pragmatic approach. The agreement is non-legally binding. It reflects a preference for soft law instruments that are able to respond to issues in a more targeted and flexible manner. 

The challenge of the Compact goes beyond mere migration issues and affects the role of the United Nations’ (UN) against a background of questioning multilateralism. The managerial approach to migration promoted by the Compact allows the UN to play a technical support role to States on a voluntary basis. This also leads to a development of different agencies, giving a key role to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). 

RELATED CONTENT

  • Download PDF
    Stability and Security in Africa: The Role of Hard and Soft Power
    Authors
    Scientific Committee :
    Abdelhak Bassou
    Rachid El Houdaigui
    Jack Kalpakian
    Nizar Messari
    Sara Hasnaa Mokaddem
    Ahmed Rhazaoui
    June 14, 2019
    Enhancing the strategic thinking on issues related to stability and security at the African level requires challenging the predominant classical conception of security towards a more comprehensive, supportive and inclusive approach. While traditional strategies are often based on military responses and hard power, it is necessary to emphasize soft power in all its dimensions, placing the individual at the heart of all conflict prevention and management methods. Some authors argue f ...
  • From ‘Rule of Law’ to ‘Law of the Jungle’: Global Trade seen through Twitter
    Authors
    Otaviano Canuto
    June 10, 2019
    This article was originally published on Center for Macroeconomics and development's website Friday night, US President Donald Trump announced by Twitter that he would suspend the implementation of tariffs on Mexican imports, which would start with 5% on Monday, June 10, to reach 25% in October. A signed agreement between the two countries, also confirmed by Twitter by Mexico’s foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard, would have included Mexican government’s commitments to take “strong mea ...
  • Gender equality and the African Union: From Development to Policy Change?
    Authors
    Naakoshie Mills
    May 31, 2019
    The author is an alumnus of the 2016 Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders program People centered development is the crux of the African Union’s (AU) new Agenda 2063 initiative. Its overall goal is a Pan African transformation and development of its member countries, while reframing the continent’s presence on the global stage. Fortunately, women’s equality is one of its aims, addressing discrimination, gender-based violence, and empowerment, to name a few. As developed nations like ...
  • EU democracy is alive and well as the battle for Europe’s top jobs starts
    Authors
    Thomas Richter
    May 27, 2019
    The author is an alumnus of the 2018 Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders program As European citizens wake up on Monday morning, democracy is alive and well in Europe. Voter turnout increased to 50,5% compared to with 42,6% in 2014, the highest for two decades as voters across the continent responded to the populist threat. Anti-EU, populist and nationalist parties have seen gains (around 115 seats) and as a committed European i am saddened to see more voters turn to populists for ...
  • Download PDF
    The UK’s policy towards Africa post-Brexit
    Authors
    Juliana Suess
    May 24, 2019
    On the eve of Britain’s exit from the European Union, the country is redefining its international approach. The United Kingdom has already taken action by becoming involved in new economic commitments, new trade agreements in Commonwealth countries but also from a diplomatic point of view in West Africa. While development aid remains a focal point of its intervention in Africa, it risks being undermined by the Brexit and its economic consequences. However, the United Kingdom is now ...
  • Download PDF
    The escalating China-US trade dispute: economic and geopolitical implications for Sub-Saharan Africa
    Authors
    Uri Dadush
    May 22, 2019
    The trade tensions between the United States and China will cause only minor immediate damage to their giant economies. However, tariffs have important and diverse effects on individual sectors and cause heightened uncertainty. The main adverse effects on Sub-Saharan Africa will therefore be through global investor confidence, economic growth and commodity prices, and these effects could be severe if the dispute escalates further and endangers the rules-based trading system. The tra ...
  • A bubbling tide of chest beating jingoistic nationalists
    Authors
    Helmut Sorge
    May 20, 2019
    The year 1912. The ocean liner “Titanic” was a technical wonder of the world. At least for the British. The unsinkable pride of the “White Star Fleet”, built in Northern Ireland, made to board 3511 passengers and crew. In the early hours of April 15th, 1912, the glory on the sea hit an iceberg, nature   displayed the fragility of progress and technology.  A tragedy. Realizing his  time had come, too soon but  nevertheless, Wallace Hartley, an onboard band leader, chose the  appropri ...