Migration, within and across borders, is a growing phenomenon. It is likely to continue increasing due to demographic changes, globalization, and climate change. According to estimates by the International Organization for Migration and the World Bank in 2019 there were 272 million international migrants globally (equivalent to 3.5% of the world’s population) who collectively generated as much as $551 billion in remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries. On February 3, 2020, the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies hosted the Honorable Louise Arbour, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for International Migration, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, for a discussion on her career in international civil service and recent engagement in developing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (Global Compact).

In December 2018, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly officially endorsed the Global Compact. It has been adopted by 164 Members States. A non-legally binding document, the Global Compact is the first-ever UN global agreement on a common approach to international migration in all its dimensions. The Global Compact, since its inception and throughout the negotiation process, faced serious doubts and criticism in the midst of anti-immigration sentiments. This was perpetuated when the United States (U.S.) withdrew from negotiations under the Trump Administration in 2017 and a group of Eastern European countries quickly followed.

Responding to questions about the effectiveness and usefulness of the Global Compact, Ms. Arbour expressed disappointment in the knee-jerk reactions of negativity many have towards the Global Compact and regrets that the efforts were “demonized since its inception as the ‘UN’s plan of increasing migration.’” However, she highlights the successes of the Global Compact in providing a functional reference for future efforts and identifying practical strategies in the meantime – e.g. promoting sustainable growth and development to eliminate and mitigate forced displacement of populations by natural disasters and climate change.

The Global Compact negotiation process, most notably the U.S.’s formal withdrawal from consultation, also animates the trend of a retreat from multilateralism in global politics. The U.S. has enjoyed much “benevolent exceptionalism,” refusing to ratify many international treaties, while often compliant in practice. A few countries, emboldened by the U.S. withdrawal, left the negotiation table promptly. Yet, the much-feared Latin America walk-out post the U.S. withdrawal did not take place. These two vastly different approaches illustrate the countries’ diverse views on the urgency and importance of building consensus on migration issues.

Reflecting on the legacy of International Criminal Tribunals and her career as Chief Prosecutor, Ms. Arbour notes the level of global consensus embodied in the UN Security Council’s resolution to create the Tribunals. This consensus is simply unimaginable today with growing skepticism towards multilateralism. As the Tribunals were inspired by the Nuremberg Trials and memories of World War II and the Holocaust, it is alarming that the retreat of multilateralism coincides with the fading of such memories among the younger generations. On what might rekindle faith in multilateralism, Ms. Arbour comments that advancements of self-interested political agendas are not conducive to global consensus. If history is any indication, she suggests, countries need to acknowledge a true necessity in addressing upcoming challenges collectively to become more open to collaboration.