24/03/2026
IOM Eswatini Leads National Consultation on Global Compact for Migration Implementation in Eswatini
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, convened a National Consultation Session on the Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).
This consultation forms part of the Kingdom of Eswatini’s preparatory process towards the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), scheduled to take place in New York in May 2026, where United Nations Member States will review progress made in implementing the Global Compact for Migration.
The meeting brought together representatives from government ministries and departments, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, migrant representatives, and members of the United Nations Country Team in Eswatini. The consultation also benefitted from virtual participation by experts from IOM Headquarters in Geneva, who provided technical guidance under the global coordination framework supporting the IMRF process.
Speaking on behalf of IOM ,Mr. Robert Ketor highlighted that Eswatini has made significant progress since the first IMRF held in 2022. Key advances include strengthening migration data systems, improving coordination mechanisms across government institutions, enhancing efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and modernizing immigration and civil registration systems.
Delivering opening remarks, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasized the importance of adopting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in strengthening migration governance systems in the Kingdom. The Principal Secretary noted that the consultation represents a critical platform for reviewing the country’s progress in implementing the 23 Objectives of the Global Compact for Migration, while also identifying priority areas for improvement and future commitments.
Mr. Dlamini further noted that Eswatini’s continued commitment to migration governance was internationally recognized when the country aligned itself with the Champion Countries Initiative of the Global Compact for Migration during a High-Level African Union engagement in 2024, positioning the Kingdom among countries leading global dialogue and cooperation on migration governance.
Throughout the consultation, participants engaged in interactive discussions focusing on migration trends, national migration strategies, data-driven policy development, protection of vulnerable migrants, and strengthening inter-institutional coordination mechanisms. The deliberations will directly contribute to the development of Eswatini’s Voluntary National Review Report on the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, which will be presented at the IMRF in 2026.
IOM expressed appreciation to the United Nations Network on Migration, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and other partners for their continued collaboration in strengthening the Kingdom’s migration governance frameworks.