SWITZERLAND / AUSTRALIA – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the government of Australia signed a Strategic Partnership Framework for 2026–2030, renewing their long-standing collaboration and reaffirming a trusted partnership to address humanitarian challenges and strengthen migration governance across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
“Australia has long been a trusted partner to IOM and to migrants and communities across the region,” said IOM director general Amy Pope. “As displacement rises and migration grows more complex, partnerships like this matter more than ever. Together, we are advancing practical solutions that protect people, strengthen resilience and ensure migration works for everyone.”
The agreement was acknowledged during a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, attended by the ambassador and permanent representative of Australia to the United Nations, H.E. Clare Walsh, and IOM director general Amy Pope, marking a new phase in a partnership that dates back to Australia’s role as a founding member state of IOM.
The renewed agreement reflects a shared recognition that well-managed migration can be a powerful driver of development, stability and human dignity. It also reflects Australia’s ongoing efforts to address the complex drivers of migration and displacement, both regionally and globally.
The Strategic Partnership Framework will strengthen IOM and Australia’s collaboration across several shared priorities, including:
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- Supporting effective responses to humanitarian crises;
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- Driving solutions to displacement and increasing resilience;
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- Facilitating safe, orderly and regular migration;
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- Delivering efficient, evidence-based and needs-based programmes;
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- Advancing gender equality, disability and social inclusion for all migrants;
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- Strengthening the UN system and advancing multilateral cooperation.
IOM expressed its appreciation to the government of Australia for its continued partnership and leadership. The Organisation is committed to working closely with Australia and other partners to translate the framework into tangible outcomes that advance safe, orderly and regular migration and improve the lives of migrants and communities worldwide.