Mayors Migration Council 2024 Impact Report

Dear Friends,

Migration is shaping the future of our cities, our economies, and our world. And while too many world leaders debate and delay, mayors are getting things done. They are proving that migration isn’t a crisis to be managed—it’s an opportunity to be seized. 

At the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), our mission is clear: ensure mayors have the resources, access, and influence to turn their vision into action. And in 2024, that mission was never more urgent—or more impactful. 

This year, we worked with mayors from over 80 cities, expanding our global reach to 275 cities. Mayor Carlos Galán of Bogotá and Mayor Maimunah Mohd Sharif of Kuala Lumpur joined our Leadership Board, bringing critical regional perspectives to the global stage. Through direct engagement, we helped mayors secure a seat at high-level diplomatic tables like the Global Forum on Migration and Development and shape multilateral commitments, from the UN Pact for the Future to the G20 Leaders’ Declaration. 

We also delivered real results where they matter most: on the ground. Through our Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees, we exceeded our $25 million fundraising goal ahead of schedule, mobilizing $28 million to date. That investment has supported 26 cities, improving the lives of over 100,000 people—and reaching countless more. But the real measure of success is what happens next: 90 percent of those cities leveraged their initial funding to secure additional investments, tripling the MMC’s impact and driving long-term systems change.

Mayors are also shaping the biggest policy frontiers of our time—climate migration, regional pathways, and economic inclusion. This year, we expanded the Global Mayors Task Force on Climate and Migration, released groundbreaking research with C40 Cities to shape UN climate negotiations, and launched the Mayors of the Americas Task Force on Migration—an initiative to unlock new pathways and promote economic inclusion across the Western Hemisphere.  

The leadership of mayors was also recognized in the UN Secretary-General’s 2024 Report on the Global Compact for Migration, reinforcing their role as essential partners in helping national governments stay on track with their commitments.  

At the same time, we are strengthening our own foundation to ensure long-term impact. In 2024, we began transitioning from a donor-led governance model—one that guided us through our startup phase—to a new representative Governing Board that will position the MMC for the next five years and beyond. One thing will not change: our Leadership Board of mayors will remain at the heart of our work, ensuring our strategy stays grounded in the realities of the cities we serve. 

Yet even as cities lead, the global migration landscape is becoming more urgent and more polarized. National governments are stepping back from global commitments. The multilateral system is faltering. Divisive politics are fueling inaction. Anti-immigrant rhetoric is on the rise. And cities—whether points of origin, transit, destination, or return—are being asked to do more with fewer resources, as philanthropies and other donors retreat from migration. 

This is a moment that demands action. Cities are where migrants and refugees live, where policies succeed or fail, and where real solutions take shape. The MMC exists to ensure that mayors have the tools, influence, and global platform to deliver results. Because when cities lead, progress follows. 

As we look ahead, the stakes are higher than ever. But so is our resolve. Let this year be a testament to what’s possible when cities lead—and a call to action for all who believe in the power of mayors to drive lasting, transformative change. 

I am grateful to our mayors for their leadership, to our partners for their trust, and to the MMC team for their talent and relentless dedication. Together, we’re not just rethinking migration—we’re redefining it.  

Here’s to another year of impact—and the many more ahead. 

 Vittoria Zanuso 
Executive Director, Mayors Migration Council