News 07 November 2025 IOM Brings Global Voices Together to Shape a Better Future for Migrants and Communities

Geneva, 11 November 2025- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today opens the 2025 International Dialogue on Migration (IDM), a global forum that brings governments, community leaders, and experts together to focus on one simple goal: making migration safer, fairer, and more humane for everyone involved.

Around the world, millions of people move to find safety, work, or opportunity. This year's Dialogue highlights practical solutions that help them do so safely, from recognizing skills and granting legal identity to improving access to visas, fair jobs, and community support. Participants will also discuss ways to make migration systems work better for women, young people, and others who are often left out of the conversation.

"Too often, migration is framed as a crisis," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "In reality, it's a story of resilience and opportunity. When people can move safely and with dignity, entire communities benefit - at home and abroad."

Migration is part of how families and societies adapt to changing realities. By mid-2024, more than 300 million people were living outside their home country, and over 83 million were displaced within their borders by conflict or disaster. Behind each number is a family finding ways to survive, support loved ones, and rebuild their lives.

Migrants also give back in extraordinary ways. In 2024, people working abroad sent home USD 685 billion - money that keeps schools open, farms running, and local businesses growing. In Africa alone, USD 100 billion in remittances made up nearly six per cent of the continent's economy, outpacing aid and investment combined.

Beyond the financial impact, migrants fill critical roles in hospitals, on farms, in construction, and in care services. Studies show that when migrants are able to work and contribute fully, everyone benefits - with stronger economies, new ideas, and more resilient communities.

Yet, safe and regular routes are becoming harder to find. Restrictive policies and limited opportunities leave many people with no choice but to take dangerous journeys. The IDM will explore how to change this, by building cooperation and sharing solutions that give people real choices.

This year's Dialogue includes four regional sessions, covering Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and Europe and Central Asia, to exchange lessons and identify practical steps that reflect local priorities. These discussions will feed into a global meeting later this year.

At its heart, the 2025 IDM is about people: ensuring that when they move, they can do so safely, with dignity, and with hope for a better future.

For more information, please visit IOM's Media Centre.