On World Refugee Day, City Networks and the UN Launch New Coalition to Elevate Local Leadership

Geneva, June 20 2025

On this World Refugee Day, we are proud to launch the Local Coalition for Migrants and Refugees. 

This new global partnership brings together global city networks and UN agencies to support and elevate the role of local governments in migration governance and protection in displacement settings. Whether points of origin, transit, destination, or return, cities are where most migrants and refugees live. As such, structured engagement between cities and the UN is not just important—it is essential to building a more coordinated, effective response and planning for a shared future.

The Coalition is co-led by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Mayors Migration Council (MMC) and guided by an Advisory Committee which includes the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). It offers a space for coordinated, city-led action that delivers on the promise of the UN Global Compacts for Migration and Refugees.

This Coalition builds on the foundations of the GFMD Mayors Mechanism and moves from ad hoc engagement around the Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD) to build on the success achieved through the Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees. 

Read the full Press Release: