The Role of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration, played a prominent role during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in 2025. As global migration continues to intersect with health crises, climate change, and displacement, IOM’s participation highlighted its ongoing efforts to shape inclusive and data-driven migration governance. This article examines IOM’s strategic involvement in key UNGA 80 side events and policy dialogues, as well as its contributions to the broader institutional reform agenda under the UN80 Initiative.

Key Areas of Engagement

1. Migration Health and Mental Health Equity On 25 September 2025, IOM co-hosted a high-level side event titled “Advancing Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Equity for Refugees and Migrants” in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other international stakeholders (WHO, 2025). The event underscored the health disparities that migrants and refugees face, particularly regarding access to noncommunicable disease (NCD) care and mental health services. IOM emphasized the necessity of integrating migrants into national health systems and ensuring equitable access to culturally sensitive care.

2. Addressing Internal Displacement IOM also took a leading role in a High-Level Roundtable on Durable Solutions to Internal Displacement, held on the margins of UNGA 80. As a convener of the Global Champions on Solutions to Internal Displacement, IOM advocated for durable and sustainable approaches to address internal displacement driven by conflict, environmental degradation, and socio-economic instability (UNDP, 2025). The event emphasized a whole-of-government approach, leveraging local ownership and long-term development strategies.

3. Migration Data and Regional Governance In collaboration with the African Migration Observatory (AMO), IOM supported a panel focused on improving migration data governance across the African continent (African Union, 2025). This session highlighted the challenges in collecting and harmonizing migration data, which is vital for evidencebased policymaking. IOM reiterated its commitment to building regional and national capacities for data collection, sharing, and analysis to enhance migration governance frameworks.

 Participation in the UN80 Reform Initiative In addition to thematic engagements, IOM aligned itself with the broader UN80 Initiative, the Secretary-General’s proposal for structural reform within the UN system. This reform initiative seeks to improve institutional agility, coherence, and delivery of mandates (UN General Assembly, 2025). IOM endorsed the initiative’s call for a more inclusive and transparent review of existing mandates, particularly in light of the evolving nature of migration-related challenges. Through its active involvement in reform dialogues, IOM positioned itself as a proponent of modernizing the UN’s approach to mobility governance.

 Conclusion

IOM’s participation in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly illustrates the organization’s multidimensional role in advancing migration governance. From advocating for health equity and durable solutions to promoting data-informed policy and institutional reform, IOM continues to influence global discourse on migration. Its engagements during UNGA 80 not only responded to urgent humanitarian needs but also aligned with long-term structural changes envisioned in the UN80 Initiative, reinforcing IOM’s strategic relevance in global governance.

 References (APA Style)

African Union. (2025, September 26). UNGA80: African Migration Observatory hosts high-level panel on fostering partnerships for data governance. https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20250926/unga80- african-migration-observatory-hosts-hl-panel-fostering-partnerships

UNDP. (2025, September 23). High-level roundtable on solutions to internal displacement. United Nations Development Programme. https://www.undp.org/speeches/high-level-round-table-solutionsinternal-displacement

UN General Assembly. (2025, September). UNGA establishes informal ad hoc working group on UN80 initiative. SDG Knowledge Hub. https://sdg.iisd.org/news/unga-establishes-informal-ad-hocworking-group-on-un80-initiative/

WHO. (2025, September 25). UNGA80 side event: Advancing noncommunicable diseases and mental health equity for refugees and migrants. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/ events/detail/2025/09/25/default-calendar/unga80-side-event–advancing-noncommunicablediseases-and-mental-health-equity-for-refugees-and-migrants

IOM. (2025). IOM at UNGA 80. International Organization for Migration. https://www.iom.int/iomunga-80 (Note: As of October 2025, this page was reported to be temporarily inaccessible.)