As the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) — hosted by the United Nations at its New York headquarters — drew to a close on Friday, May 8, 2026, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Marc-Elie Nelson delivered a key address calling on all UN member states to deepen cross-border collaboration to tackle the growing challenges of global migration management.
Speaking to delegates on Haiti’s behalf, Nelson outlined the unique pressures the Caribbean nation faces, from surging irregular migration flows and devastating brain drain to the urgent need to expand protections for Haitian citizens residing and working outside the country’s borders. Against this backdrop, he highlighted the coordinated domestic reforms and initiatives the Haitian government has rolled out in recent years to bring more structure and fairness to migration movement.
The cornerstone of these efforts is the National Migration Policy, a formal strategic framework adopted by the administration in 2023 that guides all government action on migration issues. This foundational policy has allowed the government to roll out a targeted contingency plan aligned with the 23 core objectives of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, designed specifically to support the arrival and integration of returning Haitian migrants from the Dominican Republic. It also cleared the way for the development of a national care protocol for migrants, funded through a financial partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Nelson emphasized that guaranteeing all migrants equal access to critical basic services — including healthcare, primary and secondary education, and formal social protection — is a non-negotiable priority for his government. To advance this goal, Haiti’s 2025-2026 national budget has allocated 152 million gourdes to construct a new transitional accommodation center in the border town of Belladère. Since October 2025, the minister confirmed, the Haitian government has already welcomed and processed more than 170,000 returning migrants, upholding commitments to treat all people with full respect and human dignity throughout the process.
In closing remarks, Nelson argued that future progress in global migration governance depends on targeted investment in data-driven policy, expanded pathways for regular, legal migration, and more aggressive coordinated action to dismantle transnational human trafficking networks. He concluded by urging the global community to adopt a unified approach to migration that centers humanity, inclusion, and full respect for the human rights of all migrants, regardless of their origin or immigration status.