Countries in the Global South host 42 per cent of all international migrants and 86 per cent of the world’s refugees, including those in situations of protracted displacement. They are also the most aff ected by immigration and internal migration, along with emigration and remittances. Therefore, their institutions face signi cant policy and services-related challenges. They require adaptive and improved capacities to respond that must consider the needs and potentials of migrants and displaced persons. This also refl ects the many links between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals related to migration and displacement.

To support UNCTs in the Global South, the Global Migration Group (GMG)—an inter-agency group of 18 international organizations that promotes a coherent, comprehensive and better coordinated approach to international migration—conducted an extensive consultative process involving all GMG agencies and working groups, the UN Development Operations Coordination O ffice, and civil society organizations. The outcome of this process is a comprehensive Guidance Note on Integrating Migration and Displacement into UNDAFs that introduces UNCTs and government partners to the various programmatic links between sustainable development, migration and displacement. It draws on lessons learned from previous UNDAFs and government activities, as well as the UNDP-IOM Global Joint Programme to Mainstream Migration into National Development Strategies.

This brief highlights the key aspects of the Guidance Note – an overview of existing UNDAFs; a look at the processes and frameworks involved in integrating migration and displacement issues into UNDAFs; and an outline of the relevant thematic areas, including strategic options.