IOM Statement on the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection

Los Angeles – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) welcomes the adoption of the Los Angeles Declaration today at the Summit of the Americas. This is encouraging news for a continent that has seen a record number of people undertake risky and sometimes deadly journeys in search of better opportunities and protection for themselves and their families.

The Los Angeles Declaration builds on internationally adopted principles and instruments, including the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. 

With this Declaration, countries across the Americas recognize the urgent need to work collaboratively to protect the dignity, life and human rights of all migrants, regardless of migratory status. IOM applauds this commitment as a fundamental step toward effectively managing migratory movements in the Americas.

The recognition that no country can singlehandedly leverage the tremendous opportunities and address the challenges brought by people on the move is at the heart of well-managed migration. The document adopted today recognizes that good governance of human mobility must include solidarity and shared responsibility by all States, whether countries of origin, transit or destination of migrants, and that most countries are indeed all three. This recognition embraces international cooperation and multilateralism that is inherently necessary to address the transnational nature of human mobility.

IOM reaffirms its unwavering readiness to work with the countries of the Americas to mitigate the adverse drivers that force people to leave their countries of origin or transit, particularly in light of current record inflation rates, socio-economic contraction caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, the growing impacts of environmental degradation exacerbated by climate change and increasing food insecurity adding to existing underlying and structural factors driving migration. IOM remains committed to supporting governments in the Americas to address, amongst others, irregular migration, facilitate sustainable reintegration of returnees and combat human trafficking.

We are also eager to work with governments in the Americas to support host and transit communities, promote regular pathways for safe and orderly migration, social inclusion and access to international and other forms of protection where needed, provide support for emergency response and humanitarian assistance in situations of vulnerable migratory movements, foster opportunities for decent work, facilitate regularization and access to services, regional information-sharing and policy dialogues, and promote safe, orderly, humane and regular migration, applying principles of human rights, gender-responsiveness and child-sensitivity.

Finally, IOM reiterates its willingness and capacity to support the countries in the Americas in the difficult task of translating the commitments outlined in this Declaration from paper to reality.