From 2nd–8th May 2026, the Middle East Centre for Training and Development (MECTD) was accredited to participate in the United Nations International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) held in New York City, United States. The Centre was nominated to contribute to discussions reviewing the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) by United Nations Member States, with a focus on assessing progress, identifying gaps and challenges, discussing practical solutions, and shaping a forward-looking outcome framework to guide migration governance efforts over the next four years. Throughout the Forum, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to protecting and supporting migrants and refugees through national policies, initiatives, and legislative frameworks aligned with the commitments adopted under the Global Compact in 2018 in Marrakesh, Morocco.
In parallel, MECTD was appointed by the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and the Cross Regional Center for Refugees and Migrants (CCRM) to represent the Middle East, North Africa, and Gulf regional delegation within the Grassroots Forum on Migration Governance (GFMG). This engagement formed part of a year-long preparatory process leading up to the IMRF and included a series of parallel and side events held alongside the Summit in New York. Discussions focused on key migration governance priorities, including sustainable and decent social protection, migrants in crisis situations, expanding regular migration pathways, return, repatriation and reintegration frameworks, and the role of migrants within the care economy. In addition to the GFMG programme, MECTD participated in multiple high-level side events convened throughout the Forum. The IMRF programme itself comprised four interactive multi-stakeholder roundtables, a policy debate, and a plenary session, all preceded by an informal interactive multi-stakeholder hearing. The Forum concluded with the development of an intergovernmentally agreed Progress Declaration to be adopted by Member States at the close of the IMRF.
