More than ten representatives of government institutions, civil society organizations and United Nations agencies participated on 25 May 2024, in the presentation of the second Migration Governance Indicators Profile in Panama, which marks an important milestone in the field of migration management in the country and a significant step towards greater transparency, efficiency and responsibility in the management of migratory flows.

Migration Governance Indicators (MGIs) are tools designed to assess and measure various aspects of a country's migration management and are part of the Migration Governance Framework (MiGOF) developed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2015. That same year, IOM developed the MGIs, a set of approximately 100 indicators that allow countries to assess the breadth of their migration governance structures.

The MGIs serve as a starting point for engaging governments in consultative processes that allow them to identify areas where progress has been made, where improvements are possible, and where issues are priorities in view of country-specific opportunities and challenges.

In the Americas, IOM has provided technical cooperation to at least 27 countries and 45 local communities to develop MiGOF-based reports on MGIs, providing insight that allows States to determine what they would need to manage migration in an appropriate and circumventive manner

These indicators allow objective and quantitative information to be obtained on how migratory flows are managed, how migrants' rights are protected, and how they are integrated into the host communities. In addition, they measure the effectiveness of border controls, and evaluate cooperation and exchange of information between countries on migration issues, including bilateral and multilateral agreements.

During the presentation of the second profile, the importance of having accurate and up-to-date data to design effective public policies that respond to the needs of both migrants and Panamanian communities was highlighted. The new profile will not only make it possible to monitor compliance with international commitments on migration, but also to identify opportunities to improve and strengthen institutional capacities in this area. The Migration Governance Indicators Profile in Panama 2024 is available here, and its implementation is expected to significantly strengthen the quality and effectiveness of migration policies in the country.

For more information, contact IOM Panama's communications team at iompanama@iom.int