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The Mayors Migration Council at the 79th UN General Assembly
ByMayors Migration Council
From left to right: Intendente Mauricio Emilio Zunino Canepa (Montevideo), Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán (Bogotá), Mayor Valérie Plante (Montréal), Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Freetown), and Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh (Amman).
As world leaders convene for the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, mayors from across the globe are gathering in New York City to advocate for urgent, coordinated action on migration and displacement. Organized by the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), the mayors’ coalition aims to place cities at the heart of global migration solutions.
At UNGA, the mayors are advocating for policies that allow urban migrants and their receiving communities to thrive in a world where human mobility is the new norm. Their message is clear: cities are not just passive stakeholders—they are indispensable partners in crafting the solutions needed to address today’s complex migration realities. But they need more than words; they need tangible support from the global community.
Mayors in New York City during UNGA 79 include:
Yousef Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, Jordan
Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia
Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, United States
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of Kanifing, Gambia
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, England
Mauricio Zunino, Mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay
Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal, Canada
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, France
The mayors’ advocacy will center on the UN Summit of the Future, where global leaders adopted the Pact of the Future, a roadmap for future multilateral efforts. Mayors pushed for migration and displacement to be recognized as key priorities in this pact, emphasizing the crucial role cities play in addressing these issues. They also called for humanitarian and development investments to be localized to cities, which are essential in managing migration on a daily basis.
WHAT: As part of the UN’s efforts to amplify the voices of local leaders, founding MMC members Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal, and Yousef Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, will join other city leaders to participate in a meeting of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Group of Local and Regional Governments on September 19, where they will present recommendations for the Pact of the Future.
WHEN: September 19, 2024, 10-11am ET.
WHO:
Abby Binay, Mayor of Makati City, Philippines
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, France
Asmaa Rhlalou, Mayor of Rabat, Morocco
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City, Belize
Fatimetou Abdel Malick, President of Nouakchott Region, Mauritania
Fatma Şahin, Mayor of Gaziantep, Türkiye
Mauricio Zunino, Mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay
Sharon Dijksma, Mayor of Utrecht, Netherlands
Valerie Plante, Mayor of Montreal, Canada
Yousef Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, Jordan
WHAT: At this closed-door event, the MMC Leadership Board will discuss the future vision of the organization, endorse the Strategic Priorities of the MMC’s 2025-2030 Business Plan, and welcome new Leadership Board members. Attendees include existing and new mayors of the MMC Leadership Board, their city delegates, special mayoral guests, and the MMC team.
WHEN: September 23, 2024, 12-2pm ET.
WHAT: Hosted by the Mayors Migration Council in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, this closed-door event will explore collaborative strategies—such as city-to-city coordination and cross-sector partnerships—that have proven effective in meeting the immediate needs of urban migrants and refugees while promoting their long-term economic and social contributions. Participants will discuss the roles city governments, philanthropies, service organizations, and the private sector can play in fostering pro-immigrant environments and broadening support for these initiatives. Read press release here.
WHEN: September 23, 2024, 8-9am ET
WHAT: The Mayors Migration Council, Emerson Collective, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and CAF–Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, will gather a group of mayors and leaders to discuss the opportunity for mayoral leadership on migration pathways and economic inclusion in the Americas and support for city-led migration partnerships. This meeting will mark the first step in creating a city-led political roadmap on regional migration management, culminating with the launch of the Mayors of the Americas Task Force. Read press release here.
WHEN: September 23, 2024, 4:30-6:30pm ET.
WHO:
Amy Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration
Ana Aguilera, Social Development Specialist, Senior Inclusion Specialist and Migration and Forced Displacement Coordinator for Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, World Bank
Angel Cárdenas, Manager of Urban Development, Water and Creative Economies, CAF
Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, United States
Carlos Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia
Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, Mayor of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
Marshall Fitz, Managing Director of Immigration, Emerson Collective
Mauricio Zunino, Mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay
Michael Camilleri, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, USAID
Paola Pabón, Prefect of Pichincha, Ecuador
Sergio Diaz Granados, Executive President, CAF–Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Vittoria Zanuso, Executive Director, Mayors Migration Council
WHAT: As global leaders gather in New York this September for the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79), the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), Mayors Migration Council (MMC), and the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) will host a breakfast networking event. The event will showcase the incredible welcoming efforts of everyday New Yorkers and link it with the growing global interest in innovations in the field of alternative pathways and welcome.
WHEN: September 24 · 8:30 – 10am ET
WHAT: The Climate Migration Council, C40 Cities, and the Mayors Migration Council, will host a session to explore how cities can leverage shifts in climate and migration policy to create positive opportunities, including by driving the creation of millions of good green jobs for all. The panel discussion, moderated by Lilia Luciano (CBS News), will feature the participation of Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, alongside other leading mayors, private sector, national and international leaders. Read press release here.
WHEN: September 24, 2024, 4:00-5:30pm ET
WHO:
Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago, United States
Caterina Sarfatti, Managing Director for Inclusion and Global Leadership, C40 Cities
