IOM Director General Amy Pope is taking the call to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, urging states to address migration challenges collectively from countries of origin and transit to destinations.
“Smugglers don't see borders. They see a route, and they run it like a business. They plan ahead, and they move to exploit gaps between countries,” Pope said, re-echoing that greater cooperation between countries could help save lives, disrupt criminal networks and enable governments to manage their borders more effectively.
The call is part of IOM’s Route-Based Approach, which seeks to identify challenges along major migration routes and coordinate responses between countries. The approach includes tackling the root causes of irregular migration, disrupting smuggling networks and ensuring migrants’ rights are protected throughout their journeys.
Under the approach, governments would continue to retain control over their own borders and laws while sharing information, coordinating actions and working together to close gaps that criminal networks exploit.
The appeal comes amid growing concerns over deaths and disappearances along migration routes. According to IOM data, nearly 8,000 people died or went missing on migration routes worldwide in 2025.
As of 15 September this year, at least 2,292 people had died or gone missing while attempting to reach Europe by sea, compared with 1,999 at the same point last year, despite sea arrivals being down by 39 per cent.
IOM said war, climate shocks and economic hardship continue to force millions of people from their homes. More than 83 million people were living in internal displacement at the end of 2024, according to the IOM World Migration Report 2026.
The organization is urging governments to focus on three practical areas: sharing information along migration routes, expanding legal ways for people to work and travel, and investing in communities through jobs and support following climate shocks.
IOM said expanding legal migration pathways could reduce the number of people turning to smugglers, while investment in communities could make migration a choice rather than the only option available to people facing economic hardship and other pressures.
The organization also highlighted the role of businesses, saying companies can create jobs and provide legal employment opportunities as a safer alternative to dangerous and abusive migration journeys.
IOM said it is working with the UN Network on Migration, private-sector partners, local communities and faith groups along key migration routes.
The organization further said more than 93 per cent of its operational budget goes directly to field projects, as it contributes to the UN80 reform effort aimed at reducing duplication and focusing on results.
This year marks IOM’s 75th anniversary and its 10th year as part of the UN system. Over the past decade, the organization said it has helped an average of 29.3 million people annually across 170 countries through crisis response and recovery support.
