The head of the UN's International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope, warned that cuts to foreign aid and the escalating impacts of climate change are significantly increasing global displacement. She urged wealthier nations to invest more in stability and humane migration solutions.
The warning from the IOM chief underscores the interconnectedness of foreign aid, climate change, and global migration patterns, highlighting the potential for increased instability and humanitarian crises if these issues are not addressed proactively by wealthy nations.
Wealthy Western nations, including the United States and many European countries, have reduced their development aid budgets in recent years, a move that is contributing to increased global displacement, according to Amy Pope, the head of the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In an interview with AFP on the sidelines of the Berlin Climate Mobility Forum, Pope stated that cuts in development assistance make it significantly more likely that people will be forced to leave their homes in search of safety and stability. She cited the example of Sudan, which is experiencing the world's largest displacement crisis due to war, and noted that decreasing humanitarian support leads more Sudanese to seek safety and opportunity abroad.
Pope also highlighted that many countries are making short-term decisions driven by domestic political pressures, which may not serve their long-term interests. She emphasized that connecting assistance to migration in humane and dignified ways, giving people agency and opportunity, would reduce the likelihood of large-scale, unplanned migration patterns.
She pointed to specific examples of aid cuts, noting that US President Donald Trump reduced USAID programs by 83% shortly after entering the White House for a second time, and that Germany has slashed its development budget from nearly €14 billion in 2022 to just over €10 billion this year.
Climate change is also having a substantial impact on migration worldwide. Pope mentioned that rising sea levels threaten small Pacific island states like Tuvalu, and that approximately 10 million people have been displaced by storms in the Philippines. She also noted prolonged droughts affecting several regions in Africa.
Pope urged policymakers in the wealthiest nations, who bear the greatest responsibility for climate change, to increase support for those displaced by climate-related events, advocating for proactive investments in stability rather than waiting for emergencies.
Contrary to some political narratives, Pope clarified that most displacement occurs within countries, with people first seeking resources or safety within their own borders, then moving to neighboring countries. By mid-2024, the IOM estimated there were 304 million international migrants and over 700 million internal migrants globally. She concluded that providing support within the most affected countries is more cost-effective and has a greater stabilizing effect.