Ecuador holds regional Dialogue of Champion Countries of  GCM

The Government of Ecuador has hosted a regional Dialogue of Champion Countries of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), bringing together governments from across the Americas to review progress and build on discussions held last month in Geneva, where Ecuador and the UN Network on Migration presented Ecuador’s National Implementation Plan (2025–2029).

“The Dialogue of Champion Countries represents a key step forward in advancing the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration in the Americas,” said María Moita, IOM Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Regional collaboration is essential to promote the benefits of well-managed migration and to ensure that migrants are treated with dignity and respect.”

During the forum, representatives of eight countries shared progress, identified the positive impact of well-managed migration, and established concrete commitments on migrant protection, socioeconomic integration, risk management, and climate mobility. They also highlighted how more inclusive policies, safer options for people on the move, and stronger support systems can make a direct difference in migrants’ daily lives. 

“This event consolidates the leadership of Ecuador and the countries of the Americas in promoting the implementation of the GCM,” said Ecuador’s Vice Minister of Human Mobility, Ambassador Alejandro Dávalos. “For our country, it is essential to have a National Implementation Plan for the GCM, a good practice that we share with leading countries because it directly contributes to achieving its objectives.”

Additionally, the meeting offered a forum to share good practices in the protection and integration of migrants, assess regional progress on migration, define concrete commitments for upcoming international forums, and strengthen collaboration among countries and key stakeholders by leveraging innovative approaches. These exchanges focused on making good practices easier to understand, easier to apply, and more responsive to the needs of people on the move.

Ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), the event examined progress, challenges, and good practices in implementing the GCM at global, regional, and national levels, positioning the Dialogue as an important milestone in the lead-up to global deliberations.

The GCM champion countries in the Americas exchanged concrete experiences on regular pathways for migration, the fight against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, labour and educational integration, and diaspora engagement. The event also explored strategies to address the challenges of climate mobility at a time when the region is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. The exchanges aimed to ensure that these issues are addressed in ways that reflect people’s lived experiences and the challenges communities are facing.

With this meeting, Ecuador reaffirmed its commitment to safe, orderly, and regular migration and strengthened its role as a regional leader in promoting migration policies grounded in human rights and international cooperation. The commitments emerging from this Dialogue aim to strengthen migration governance across the Americas and support more effective responses to current and future challenges of human mobility.