The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a new initiative of the international
community aiming to address the migration and development nexus in a practical and action-oriented
manner. It is conceived as an informal, non-binding, voluntary and government-led process, open to
all UN member states. Created in 2006 on the proposal of the UN Secretary-General, the GFMD held
its first meeting in Brussels in July 20071. This meeting brought together more than 800 governmental
participants, representing over 150 countries, as well as 200 representatives of civil society from all
over the world2. The purpose of this article is to present this prototypical initiative in the light of the
global debate on migration and development, offer some reflections about its future and analyse its
position with regard to other initiatives aimed at the management of global issues.