Live streaming of our hearing on the Global Compact for Migration, May 16

Centre on Global Migration will be streaming live from the hearing "A Global Compact for Migration: What's next?" at May 16, between 9:00 - 12:15. Welcome to join us!

The hearing will also be recorded and a link to where you can watch it will be available here after the event.

The Global Compact for Migration

In December 2018, 164 nations adopted a pact to understand and manage global migration as a joint endeavour. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is the first intergovernmental agreement that covers all dimensions of global migration, from countries of departure to countries of arrival, and hence highlights migration as multi-national responsibility.

In a globalized world, migration is an inextricable part of social, cultural, economic, political and technological transformations. More people in more parts of the world migrate or seek to migrate today than ever before. The number of international migrants in the world reached 258 million in 2018. Consequently, migration has a huge impact on a large number of people’s living conditions.

The numbers of migrants are also expected to grow as migration pressures increase, as poverty, wars and violence continue to displace people across borders and within their own countries. Also, internal migration from rural to urban settings is evident in the explosive growth of major cities across the globe, with implications for urban environments, development and poverty.

As a result, there is a growing interest from governments, organizations, civil society, the private sector and many other groups affected by migration, to look further into how the benefits of migration can be maximized, while minimizing its negative effects.

Local Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration

With its comprehensive approach to migrants and migration, the Global Compact fro Migration provides both opportunities and challenges.
But what does the implementation of the CGM actually mean on the local and regional level?

The hearing brings together experts on the GCM with representatives from local and regional actors to discuss the impact and implementation of the GCM.

The purpose of this hearing is to bring together experts with insights of the GCM together with representatives from across these actors and sectors to discuss the impact and implementation of the GCM.

Among others, the following questions will be discussed; Why do we need a new international agreement on migration? How does the GCM relate to the existing international legal system for refugees and migrants? What are the challenges in implementing the GCM on the national and the local level? What could the compact mean for the urban development of cities and regions in Sweden? What tangible difference will the compact make in the lives of migrants or the communities that host them?

Speakers

Gregor Noll, Department of Law, University of Gothenburg
Birgitta Guevara, Immigrant Integration Department, County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland
Ellen Percy Kraly, Malmö University and Colgate University, New York
Helen Holmström, Head of Operations/ Integration, City of Gothenburg
Moderator: Andrea Spehar, Centre on Global Migration (CGM)

Programme

9.00–9.15 Welcome and introduction

9.15–9.45 The Global Compact and international migration law: is there an added value? Professor Gregor Noll, University of Gothenburg

9.50–10.20 Local and regional challenges related to integration and introduction of newly arrived immigrants.
Birgitta Guevara, Immigrant Integration Department, County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland.

Short health break

10.40–11.10 The Global Compact for Migration: Opportunities and obligations for the social and environmental sciences.
Professor Ellen Percy Kraly, Malmö University and Colgate University, NY.

11.15–12.15 Panel with the speakers, and Helen Holmström, Head of Operations/ Integration, City of Gothenburg.

Moderator Andrea Spehar, Centre on Global Migration

The hearing is organised by Centre on Global Migration at the University of Gothenburg, The City of Gothenburg and Mistra Urban Futures.