Key points
- New fund to combat trafficking and smuggling
- Network promotes safe, orderly migration governance
- Pakistan praised for global migration role
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations has launched the Pakistan United Nations Network on Migration (UNNM) in Islamabad, a step that means Pakistan will now have a single, coordinated platform to deal with the challenges of migration, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling.
The initiative brings together the UN, the Government of Pakistan, civil society, private sector and media to ensure a unified response aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). At the event, hosted by UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Yahya, Pakistan’s first Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF) programme was also inaugurated.
The programme will be jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with national partners, said a statement.
The new fund, the only global pooled financing mechanism dedicated to migration, means Pakistan will now have access to dedicated resources to fight trafficking and irregular migration through collaborative, practical projects.
Promoting policy coherence
“The establishment of this network is a testament to our collective resolve to ensure that migration is safe, orderly, and regular,” said Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator”.
Yahya said the programme provides a crucial platform to shift the narrative on migration, amplify a unified voice, and foster the innovation needed to address complex challenges related to mobility and protecting the rights of all people on the move.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) plays a central role in the network, alongside the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan who will serve as the network’s Chair. The network will leverage partnerships across the UN system to promote policy coherence and integrate migration policies into the broader development goals.
