The way in which the topic of migration has featured in international policymaking discourse has changed significantly in recent decades, and developments in the coming years will determine how the discussion continues to evolve. An important factor has been the role of civil society.
The next few years will be crucial to the migration discourse, with the potential to sculpt the direction that will be taken by migration governance infrastructures for many years to come. There is energy and commitment, giving reason for optimism about positive change for the rights of migrants and their communities, as well as the positioning of migration governance within local, national, regional, and global thinking. This optimism, however, is tempered by the increasingly complex global political situation, and by recognition that this moment of transition has been galvanised by the continuing plight of many migrants and refugees around the world.
Effective cooperation between all parties involved in migration and migration governance is crucial if the extant opportunity is to be fully seized.