The Migration Fund will accelerate the progress of countries in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target, says Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He said this in his remarks at the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund hosted by the PGA on Thursday.
Noting that the adoption of the Global Compact for migration in December 2018 remains a monumental achievement by the international community, the PGA stated that it boosts cooperation and helps shape a global migration regime advantageous for everyone involved.
PGA Shahid described the finalization of its text to be a milestone, and stressed that it yet needs to come to life and the people need to act upon its provisions and realize their concrete benefits.
With this being said, the PGA noted that the fund is a “powerful” tool to facilitate the implementation of the Global Compact while also fast-tracking the progress of countries in meeting SDG targets.
Towards that end, the Migration Fund is a powerful tool to facilitate the implementation of the Global Compact, while also accelerating countries’ progress in meeting the SDG targets. This will help societies build resilience and empower them to shape effective migration governance strategies that cater to the needs of both migrants and host-communities.”Abdulla Shahid, PGA.
Stating that member states predicted the need for a similar instrument and called for its establishment through the adoption of the compact, PGA Shahid stated that the Secretary-General highlighted the importance of this fund and has encouraged member states to increase their support in his recent report on the Global Compact on Migration.
Noting how the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund paves the way for discussions that are an integral part of the review forum just as the Migration Multi Partner Trust Fund is an integral part of the Compact, the PGA stated that the high demand expressed by member states for use of the Fund exceeded expectations and has left no doubt about its relevance.
While 14 programmes are already ongoing, this is only the tip of the iceberg. The fund has the potential to do so much more. We are all eager to expand its support to cover many promising initiatives that have been designed jointly by national governments, the United Nations, and stakeholders. At its core, the Fund is a tool for sustainable development.”Abdulla Shahid, PGA.
PGA Shahid highlighted that a pledge towards a contribution to the fund is therefore a strong signal of trust and of the necessity of cooperation amongst states, stressing that it also sheds light on the significance of multilateralism to achieve the collective aims to make migration safe, orderly and regular.
He said that the fund will boost capacity building in countries across all regions by ensuring adequate financing, with which the living conditions of migrants and host communities will improve.
The PGA concluded by urging to make a pledge in this regard.
