Minister of State Colm Brophy Addresses International Migration Review Forum

The Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, represented Ireland at the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), which is being held at the United Nations in New York.

The Forum serves as the primary global intergovernmental platform to review progress on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) which was adopted in 2018.

Addressing the Forum, Minister Brophy said:

"If migration is to be safe, orderly and regular - which is what we all want - then it is important that migration should be well-managed. We must also recognise that it is important that migration should be seen to be well-managed.

"It is difficult to maintain public support for migration if people have the impression that the rules are not being enforced. Taking steps to reduce irregular migration is therefore an essential part of a balanced approach to human mobility.

"It remains clear that migration is inherently a transnational issue. No country can deal with the challenges around migration alone."

The GCM, is the first intergovernmental agreement covering all dimensions of international migration. It is a non-legally binding, cooperative framework that upholds the sovereignty of States and their obligations under international law.

The agreement comprises 23 objectives for better managing migration at local, national, regional and global levels. It is aimed at addressing the root causes of forced migration; enhancing the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration; reducing the risks and vulnerabilities migrants face at different stages of migration by respecting, protecting and fulfilling their human rights and providing them with care and assistance.

It also seeks to address the legitimate concerns of states and communities on the topic of migration, notably by reaffirming explicitly the obligation of states to readmit their own nationals who do not have the right to reside in another state; and strives to create conducive conditions that enable all migrants to participate in and contribute to social and economic development.

ENDS…///

The proportion of the world's population that lives in countries outside their countries of birth has remained relatively stable over recent years and, according to figures from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs stood at 3.7% (approximately 304 million people) in mid-2024, the last year for which figures are available, compared to 3.3% in mid-2015. 45% of migrants in 2024 were living in their regions of origin and the overwhelming majority of migrants have a regular status.

It is however the case, that irregular migration in particular presents real challenges. Over 48,000 deaths and disappearances along migratory routes have been recorded since 2014, including 15,000 over 2024 and 2025. The vision underpinning the GCM is that meeting such challenges requires international cooperation to ensure that migration can, indeed, be safe, orderly and regular.

A key element of GCM follow-up is the production of a report every two years by the UN Secretary General on its implementation. This report feeds into the deliberations of the IMRF. The most recent report was released in February of this year. The main section of the Secretary General's 2026 Report, which looks at progress in implementation, is structured around four main themes, which are broadly mirrored in the IMRF roundtables:

• Ensuring safe, voluntary migration to contribute to sustainable development
• Preventing and addressing vulnerabilities in migration
• Dispelling misleading narratives and establishing trust, promoting inclusion and strengthening social cohesion
• Moving towards more transparent, efficient, informed and complementary migration governance and review processes