Recognizing the current and future challenges related to migration caused by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation, the Member States of the Forum of Presidents of Legislative  Authorities of Central America and the Caribbean (FOPREL), with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlighted the need to advance in the formulation of regulatory frameworks that incorporate migration for environmental reasons at the Ordinary Meeting of FOPREL held on March 13, 14 and 15 in San José, Costa Rica.

As a result of this activity, IOM and FOPREL signed a memorandum of understanding that reaffirms the commitment of both institutions to outline common lines of work and to systematize the actions of both organizations for the future on legislative issues in each member country, such as mobility and climate change, prevention of human trafficking, and the promotion of a human rights-based approach in migratory contexts. 

Regarding this partnership, IOM emphasizes that "it is crucial to promote innovative rights-based migration frameworks and practices that integrate the challenges of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters due to natural hazards. We recognize the high commitment of FOPREL and its Inter-Parliamentary Commissions such as the Commission on Migration, Human Rights, Women and Climate Change, spaces from which it has led political dialogue and consensus on notable legislative initiatives in this area," said Rudi Maxwald, representative of IOM's regional direction for the Americas.   

Previously, in 2023, FOPREL approved the "Regional Framework Law on the Management of Migration for Climate and Environmental Reasons with a Human Rights Approach". The main goal of the framework is the discussion of the law in the legislative agenda of the different countries to assess its adoption in their respective legal systems. During these days of work, FOPREL and IOM developed an "Annotated Law", a tool that facilitates and legally supports the analysis of the Regional Framework Law to the contexts of the different Legislative Branches to achieve the partial or total adoption of the Law. 

The inclusion of this law in the legislative agenda of the region is fundamental and aligns with Global Migration Frameworks, climate change and human rights such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (goals 2, 5 and 13), and targets 10.7 and 13.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

This event was held as part of the commemoration of FOPREL's 30th Anniversary and the transfer of the Pro-Tempore Presidency to the President of the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly. The activity was coordinated by IOM with funding from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) of the U.S. Department of State and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

For more information, please contact Efraín Guerrero, Migration Governance Officer at eguerrero@iom.int.