Global Mayors Drive Ambitious Action on Migration, Displacement, and Climate at Brazil’s G20 Summit
As world leaders gathered this week in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 Summit, a coalition of more than 50 mayors from across the globe—including Leadership Board members of the Mayors Migration Council (MMC) from Freetown and Montreal—met the week prior at the Urban20 (U20) Summit. There, they delivered a landmark U20 Communique to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, successfully influencing the G20 Declaration and securing historic commitments to migration and displacement.
The U20, a critical platform for exchange between G20 nations and their cities, enables city leaders to champion global solutions rooted in local realities. This year’s communique broke new ground, achieving the strongest recognition of urban migration and displacement in U20 history and, for the first time, highlighting climate migration—a pressing issue that affects millions worldwide.
The G20 declaration adopted days later echoed the mayors’ advocacy, committing to support migrants and uphold human rights regardless of status. Crucially, it also pledged to continue dialogue on migration and displacement during next G20 Presidencies, marking a significant precedent for the future.
A Historic Diplomatic Milestone for City Leaders
The U20 communique represents a bold vision for global cooperation, offering partnerships between national governments and cities on migration and inclusive climate action. Mayors called on the G20 to recognize the vital role of local governments and to allocate at least $800 billion annually in public investment by 2030. They also demanded that 40 percent of new, low-interest funding for city-led projects be directed to vulnerable, underserved communities. This is critical as cities face systemic barriers to finance that prevent them for delivering solutions at scale. In 2022, only 1.2 percent of international humanitarian funding reached local actors, and less than 5 percent of climate adaptation finance targeted urban areas.
“As mayors of major cities worldwide, we call on G20 leaders to work with us to scale up the ambitious efforts already transforming our cities,” said Freetown Mayor and MMC Leadership Board member Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.
Closing the U20 Summit, President Lula praised the communique as a testament to the power of cities, pledging to carry its message to G20 leaders. “Cities are home to the agents of change we need,” he said. “The presence of so many mayors today is proof that local governments want to and can do their part.”
Migration as an Opportunity for Urban Growth
Cities are home to more than half of the global population today—a number expected to rise to two-thirds by 2050. Urban areas also host the majority of the world’s international migrants and 70 percent of displaced populations. Migration offers cities unparalleled opportunities for cultural, social, and economic enrichment, provided they receive adequate policy and financial support.
The U20 communique underscored migration as a driver of urban innovation and growth, calling for targeted investments in essential public services such as housing, healthcare, and education to enable both newcomers and long-term residents to thrive.
Excerpt from U20 Communique:“Human mobility is a phenomenon driven among other factors by conflict, growing inequalities and climate change – especially towards, within, and from cities. National governments should commit to supporting local public service provision as a key tool that plays a role in the social and economic inclusion of migrants in cities – including welcoming and labor orientation, access to housing and healthcare, and education and language training.”
Investing in Green Jobs for Migrants and Refugees
Cities, as hubs of global economic activity generating more than 80 percent of global GDP, are uniquely positioned to lead the green transition. Urban migrants and refugees play a crucial role in this effort, addressing labor shortages and skill gaps in sectors such as renewable energy, construction, and waste management. However, barriers like restrictive legal status and limited access to formal labor markets prevent many migrants from contributing fully.
The U20 communique urged national governments to partner with cities in investing in reskilling programs, promoting equitable access to green jobs, and empowering migrants to be key actors in a sustainable future.
Excerpt from U20 Communique:“Collaborate with cities, unions, and employers in social dialogue to ensure jobs and training opportunities are accessible to workers, in particular those in the energy industry, informal workers, women, youth, migrants, those facing poverty, marginalised and underserved communities, and those in vulnerable situations.”
Equitable Access to Services for All
While national governments deal with borders and visa regimes, it is at the city level that the most immediate needs of migrants and refugees are addressed—from shelter to healthcare to access to schools and jobs.
The U20 communique emphasized that ensuring non-discriminatory access to these services is critical not only for individual well-being but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing systemic inequalities.
Excerpt from U20 Communique:“Whilst water and sanitation, housing, energy, healthcare, and education are mandated in most Constitutions, legislative frameworks must be reimagined to expedite universal access to basic civic service delivery that responds to migratory and demographic needs.”
Cities Lead the Way
The mayors’ advocacy at the U20 Summit not only shaped the G20 declaration but also underscored a crucial shift in the global conversation on migration as an opportunity for sustainable development.
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