In 2020, there were almost 18 million international migrants residing in North and Central Asia, and over 21 million migrants from the subregion were residing outside their countries of birth.

In 2018, United Nations Member States adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) which recognized that safe, orderly and regular migration works for all when it takes place in a well-informed, planned and consensual manner.

The Global Compact is rooted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it builds upon the recognition that “migration is a multidimensional reality of major relevance for the sustainable development of countries of origin, transit and destination, which requires coherent and comprehensive responses.

The Global Compact echoes the call of the 2030 Agenda for data, monitoring and accountability and for strengthening the means of implementation and revitalization of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (SDG17). At the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact held in March 2021, Governments reaffirmed their commitment to the Global Compact for Migration, including its cross-cutting and interdependent guiding principles and 23 objectives. In follow-up to the Asia-Pacific Regional Review meeting, ESCAP is implementing a project on “Strengthening national capacities for evidence-based policymaking to implement the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in North and Central Asia”.

In the context of this workshop, ESCAP was holding an expert meeting cum capacity-building workshop on the same topic 18-19 April 2023 in Almaty.