Global Mayors Bring Urgent Migration Message at UN General Assembly
September 16, 2024, New York, NY —As world leaders convene for the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79), mayors from across the globe will gather in New York City next week to push for urgent, coordinated action on migration and displacement. Organized by the Mayors Migration Council (MMC), the coalition is calling for a comprehensive international response that puts cities at the center of global migration solutions.
Today, 70 percent of the world’s displaced population lives in urban areas, and one in five international migrants resides in just 20 cities. With the World Bank projecting over 200 million people displaced by climate change by 2050, this trend is only going to increase.
“Cities are where migration happens,” said Erias Lukwago, Lord Mayor of Kampala, Uganda. “Mayors are the ones managing these realities daily, yet we are too often sidelined in global policy discussions. That needs to change.”
With cities acting as points of origin, transit, and destination for millions of migrants and displaced individuals, these local leaders will engage in high-stakes discussions on the sidelines of UNGA 79. Their goal: to champion policies and practices that allow urban migrants, displaced people, and their receiving communities not just to survive, but to thrive in a world where human mobility is the new normal.
Mayors at the UN Summit of the Future
The mayors’ advocacy will center on the UN Summit of the Future, where global leaders are set to adopt the Pact of the Future, a roadmap for future multilateral efforts. Mayors will push for migration and displacement to be recognized as key priorities in this pact, emphasizing the crucial role cities play in addressing these issues. They will also call for humanitarian and development investments to be localized to cities, which are essential in managing migration on a daily basis.
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 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.
“Our cities are where the impact of migration is most deeply felt—and where innovative solutions are being developed,” said Plante. “I joined this Advisory Group to ensure our collective experience on this and other critical issues of our time helps shape the Pact of the Future and beyond.”
A Call for Direct Funding to Cities
While political commitment from local governments is clear, cities face significant financial barriers when it comes to managing migration and displacement. In 2022, only 1.2 percent of global humanitarian assistance went to local actors, including cities, despite a global target of 25 percent. This funding shortfall is especially critical in low- and middle-income countries, where 90 percent of the world’s forcibly displaced people live.
“Amman has consistently been a sanctuary for those fleeing conflict,” stated Shawarbeh. “Yet, our resources are now severely strained. We call upon the UN and its Member States to recognize the crucial role that cities play and to allocate the necessary resources to sustain this vital work.”
To lead by example and inspire others to help close this funding gap, the MMC has committed to expanding the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees to $50 million, with an initial goal of $25 million by 2025.
“Cities are doing the heavy lifting, but they aren’t receiving the resources they need—not just in terms of funding amounts, but also the flexible, unrestricted support necessary to keep innovating and responding creatively over the long term,” said Vittoria Zanuso, Executive Director of the MMC. “We’re setting the example with the Global Cities Fund, and we’re calling on international actors, philanthropies, and investors to follow suit.”
A United Front
The mayors attending UNGA 79 represent cities from across the globe, united in their call for a more inclusive, city-focused approach to migration management. Mayors engaging in programming during UNGA 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
- Erias Lukwago, Mayor of Kampala, Uganda
- Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of Kanifing, Gambia
- Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, England
- Mauricio Zunino, Mayor of Montevideo, Uruguay
- Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal, Canada
- Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, France
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.
To schedule an interview with members of the mayoral delegation or with Mayors Migration Council Executive Director Vittoria Zanuso, please contact Cynthia Nahhas, Communications Manager at the Mayors Migration Council, at cnahhas@mayorsmigrationcouncil.org. The mayors and Zanuso can provide firsthand accounts of how cities are coping with the demands of migration and share their perspectives on how the UN can better support city leaders in managing migration.
About the Mayors Migration Council
The Mayors Migration Council (MMC) is a mayor-led coalition that accelerates ambitious global action on migration and displacement to create a world where urban migrants, displaced people, and receiving communities can thrive. To achieve our mission, we provide mayors with advocacy, coordination, and communications support to influence policy decisions at the national and international level, and connect city governments to the knowledge, technical, and financial resources they need to accelerate and scale local solutions.
Created by mayors for mayors, the MMC is guided by a Leadership Board of global city leaders and operates with the institutional support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the IKEA Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, in addition to other donors.
The MMC is managed under the oversight of the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), a 501(c)(3) public charity in the United States.
Read the MMC’s 2023 Impact Report for more background.
To learn more visit www.mayorsmigrationcouncil.org or follow us on X, Facebook
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