THE UN GLOBAL COMPACTS ON MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: A NEW SOLUTION TO MIGRATION MANAGEMENT, OR MORE OF THE SAME?

The paper analyzes the UN's efforts to create global frameworks for migration and refugee management via the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). It highlights that while the GCR benefits from established international law and the leadership of the UNHCR, the GCM is a more politicized, state-led process lacking a foundational legal base. The author expresses concern over the minimal participation of African states and the African Union in the GCM process, arguing that this lack of engagement may lead to a framework that favors Global North interests, such as border security and return policies, over the socio-economic needs and mobility of African citizens.

• Global migration patterns have shifted, with South-South migration now slightly exceeding South-North migration, reaching 82.3 million international migrants compared to 81.9 million in 2013.
• Developing countries bear a disproportionate burden of refugee hosting; for example, Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Uganda, and Ethiopia are among the top refugee-hosting countries.
• The Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) both stem from the 2016 New York Declaration, which represents the first time all UN members committed to sharing responsibility for refugees and formally placed migration on the international cooperation agenda.
• There is a significant disparity in the progress and foundation of the two compacts: the GCR is built upon the Geneva Convention and led by the UNHCR, whereas the GCM is a state-led process with no established international laws or norms to define migrants.
• Migration governance remains heavily focused on security, border control, and deterrence rather than the protection of human rights or the facilitation of legal pathways.
• African participation in the GCM process has been minimal, with the African Union (AU) absent from the second informal session, potentially leaving the continent unable to influence rules on remittances, return policies, and employment.
• Some African states are undermining their own multilateral influence by signing bilateral agreements with European countries that prioritize biometric screening and tighter border controls.
• The assumption that increased development reduces migration is flawed; evidence suggests that development often encourages migration, as most migrants originate from middle-income countries.
• The GCM's success depends on establishing a clear, universally accepted definition of 'migrant' to protect vulnerable groups who do not qualify for refugee status under the Geneva Convention.

APA

Parshotam, A. (2017). THE UN GLOBAL COMPACTS ON MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: A NEW SOLUTION TO MIGRATION MANAGEMENT, OR MORE OF THE SAME? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Occasional-Paper-273.pdf

Chicago

Parshotam, Asmita. THE UN GLOBAL COMPACTS ON MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: A NEW SOLUTION TO MIGRATION MANAGEMENT, OR MORE OF THE SAME? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2017. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Occasional-Paper-273.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Parshotam |first1=Asmita |title=THE UN GLOBAL COMPACTS ON MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: A NEW SOLUTION TO MIGRATION MANAGEMENT, OR MORE OF THE SAME? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2017 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Occasional-Paper-273.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{parshotam2017global, author = {Parshotam, Asmita}, title = {{THE UN GLOBAL COMPACTS ON MIGRATION AND REFUGEES: A NEW SOLUTION TO MIGRATION MANAGEMENT, OR MORE OF THE SAME?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Occasional-Paper-273.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }