The High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development is an important milestone in the follow-up to the Río+20 Conference on Sustainable Development and the debates regarding the post-2015 development agenda. The first High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, held in September of 2006, focused on establishing the appropriate means and mechanisms to maximize benefits and minimize negative repercussions. Despite the fact that there was no consensus regarding the establishment of a new regulatory institution or migration system, this initial Dialogue led to the creation of the “Global Forum on Migration and Development,” led by the Member States.

The second Dialogue, which will be held in New York this October, will offer the international community “a unique opportunity to evaluate the progress made since the first High-Level Dialogue and to bridge the gaps, in the spirit of multilateral cooperation.” One of the main issues brought up by the EU and the OOII is the promotion of migration governance, with an emphasis on the protection of migrant rights and the inclusion of migration in the development agendas on both a national and global scale. This is also an opportunity to definitively incorporate migratory issues in the post-2015 development agenda.

The High-Level Dialogue will consist of one plenary session and four consecutive interactive roundtable discussions. Member States and UN observers and representatives will participate in each roundtable, as well as representatives from NGOs, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The roundtable topics include:

1.     Examining the consequences of international migration on sustainable development and identifying the priorities in preparing the post-2015 development agenda.

2.     Measures to ensure the respect and protection of migrants’ human rights, with a special emphasis on women and minors, and preventing and combating the illegal trafficking of migrants and human trafficking in order to ensure organised, regularised, safe migration.

3.     Strengthening alliances and cooperation in the area of international migration, mechanisms for effectively integrating migration in development policies, and promoting coherence on all levels.

4.     International and regional employment mobility and its impact on development.

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