The governance of migration at the global level has undergone incremental and substantial changes in recent years. Most notable are the adoption of the 2016 New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants at the UN General Assembly and ongoing efforts to advance two global compacts.

This chapter examines how such developments can contribute to more effective global governance of international migration. It begins with a discussion of the benefits of governing migration at the global level and barriers that inhibit greater progress. An overview of the fundamental normative and institutional landscape provides further context. The rest of the chapter is devoted to an examination of efforts taken between 2001-2016 on three overarching themes:

1. Key dialogues and initiatives instrumental to building momentum and confidence towards greater action at the global level;
2. Specific initiatives to build normative frameworks to enhance protection of migrants; and
3. The integration of international migration into global-level responses on other issues. While acknowledging the fragmentation in the system, the conclusion nonetheless takes stock of the remarkable progress made in recent years through step-by-step processes of consultation, cooperation and confidence-building as it also highlights key challenges to address.