About the Migrants, Migration, and Development Program

MPI's Migrants, Migration, and Development Program focuses on the intersection of migration and development policies and trends, moving beyond simple notions that development is a “cure” for migration or that migration is a recipe for development. The program’s focus is on nuanced policy guidance for countries of destination and origin regarding the actual and potential contributions of migrant communities to sustainable development and the reduction of poverty in their original homelands.

While increasing volumes of research are focusing on the current and prospective contributions of migrant communities to their countries of origin, the findings have not been systematically translated into policy guidance, and important topics remain underinvestigated. One result is that little coherence is to be found between the development policies and the migration policies of governments in either countries of destination or countries of origin. Since 2004, MPI has begun to address the paucity of policy analysis.

MPI has deeply engaged in efforts to encourage a multilateral discussion and exchange of experience, including through the UN High-Level Dialogues on International Migration and Development, the Global Forum on Migration and Development, and other fora.