Side-Event at the International Migration Review Forum

The Central American region continues to be affected by extreme climatic events, which influence human mobility, a situation that requires a comprehensive approach.   Central America is classified as one of the areas with high climate vulnerability on a global scale and is therefore subject to extreme weather events such as droughts and floods that cause the loss of livelihoods and environmental services, which are key to the integral development of populations.

These effects not only constitute a risk but also affect the most vulnerable populations, violating conditions in terms of physical factors, such as accessibility or inaccessibility to basic services; socioeconomic and environmental factors, which reduce the resilience of communities. The IPCC has noted that the Northern Countries of Central America are amongst the most sensitive to climate migration and displacement.

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is the first intergovernmental agreement, developed under the auspices of the United Nations, which covers all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, seeks primarily to protect the human rights of all migrants and decriminalize migration, with the purpose of creating enabling conditions that allow all migrants to enrich our societies with their human, economic and social capacity, contributing to local, regional and global sustainable development. The Global Compact integrates clear recommendations vis a vis the nexus between migration and climate change, with the objective of preventing forced migration and enabling safe pathways for persons affected by sudden-onset hazards and slow-onset environmental change.

Objective of the side event: Exchange experiences that the region has implemented to strengthen the resilience of families and communities to the effects of climate change, promoting food security, adaptation and resilience, addressing other climate vulnerabilities that impact local, regional and international human mobility.  

Expected outcome: 

1. To present the challenges faced by local communities in relation to climate impacts and events and how these are linked to mobility and migration dynamics.  
2. Identify the causes of community migration linked to climate change impacts, biodiversity loss and the need for environmental services. 
3. Identify local development strategies that communities are implementing to increase resilience at the local and household level. 
4. Share best practices for addressing the adverse drivers of forced migration by promoting economic, social and environmental development.

Agenda:

• Moderator: Ambassador Luis Antonio Lam Padilla, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations
• Opening remarks: S.E. Mario Adolfo Búcaro, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala
• Presentation of Guatemala's progress in the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
• Presentation Climate Change, Gender and Human Mobility: Mrs. Amy Pope, Deputy Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• Challenges of food security and climate change: Mrs. Valerie N. Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director World Food Programme
• Glasgow Compact Presentation by the COP26 UK Presidency (TBC)
• Interventions countries of the region: Amb. Marta Elena Gordon, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama and, Amb. Carlos Antonio García Carranza; Vice Minister for Consular and Immigration Affairs of Honduras
• Exchange with participants (Q&A)
• Closing remarks S.E. Mario Búcaro, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala