The UN Network on Migration and the Government of Ecuador convened a high-level dialogue on 9 October 2025 with GCM champion countries, donors, and partners to discuss the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) through National Implementation Plans. The forum highlighted how cooperation, partnerships, and targeted support are helping countries strengthen migration governance ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), where member states will assess progress at local, national, regional, and global levels.
Ecuador presented its National Implementation Plan (2025–2029), establishing the country’s first national-local model for migration governance. The plan aligns national migration strategies with the realities of local communities, making governance more practical and inclusive. Catalina Devandas, Special Envoy for the IMRF, described the plan as a milestone for Ecuador and a model for other countries, demonstrating how global commitments can be translated into actions that address people’s everyday lives.
Developed through consultations with government institutions, civil society, local authorities, and international partners, Ecuador’s plan is built around three pillars: economic inclusion, social inclusion, and migration governance. It reflects 15 of the 23 objectives of the GCM and positions Ecuador alongside other champion countries such as El Salvador, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Sri Lanka, which are leading by example in implementing national migration strategies.
The dialogue also emphasized the broader impact of the GCM capacity-building mechanism, which helps countries turn commitments into action through technical assistance, joint financing, and knowledge exchange. To date, over 50 member states have benefited from this support, advancing their GCM objectives and strengthening migration governance. National implementation plans, supported by the capacity-building mechanism, are recognized as essential tools for improving migration governance, fostering partnerships, ensuring accountability, and achieving measurable results.
Ecuador’s plan was developed with support from the UN Network on Migration and funding from the European Union. As a GCM champion country, Ecuador exemplifies how national strategies, grounded in local realities, can serve as a model for other nations seeking to implement the Compact and share lessons in migration governance.
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