UN Network on Migration, Government of Ecuador convene Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

The UN Network on Migration and the Government of Ecuador have convened the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) champion countries, donors, and partners to discuss the implementation of the compact through National Implementation Plans.

The dialogue showcased how cooperation, partnerships, and targeted support are helping countries strengthen migration governance. The forum comes ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) where member states will review the progress made at the local, national, regional, and global levels in implementing the GCM.

Ecuador presented its National Implementation Plan (2025-2029) which establishes the first national-local model for migration governance, aligning national migration strategies with the realities of local communities.

“Ecuador’s new plan is not only a milestone for the country but also a model for others,” said Catalina Devandas, Special Envoy for the International Migration Review Forum. “By linking national strategies with local realities, this plan makes migration governance more practical and inclusive, showing how global commitments can be translated into action that responds to people’s everyday lives.”

Developed through broad consultations with government institutions, civil society, local authorities, and international partners, the plan is structured around three pillars of economic inclusion, social inclusion, and migration governance, and reflects 15 of the 23 objectives of the GCM. Ecuador joins other champion countries such as El Salvador, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Sri Lanka in leading by example through the development and implementation of national plans.

The event also highlighted broader progress under the capacity building mechanism, the GCM’s key tool to help countries turn commitments into action through targeted technical assistance, joint financing, and knowledge exchange. To date, this mechanism has supported over 50 Member States, including several champion countries, in advancing their GCM commitments.

Today’s dialogue highlighted that national implementation plans are essential for progress under the GCM and for improving migration governance in the region. The capacity building mechanism helps turn commitments into results, build partnerships, and ensures accountability at all levels