The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) stands as the first intergovernmental agreement adopted by the United Nations to address all dimensions of international migration. This authoritative commentary offers a comprehensive analysis of the Compact’s normative foundations, legal content, and policy relevance for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers working at the intersection of international law and migration governance. The volume opens with a critical examination of the GCM’s preamble, vision, and guiding principles, illuminating its normative aspirations—including state sovereignty, responsibility-sharing, non-discrimination, and human rights. It proceeds with detailed commentary on each of the Compact’s twenty-three objectives, assessing their legal content, policy orientation, and alignment with existing international legal frameworks. Each objective is situated within the broader contexts of international law and migration governance, with careful attention to its potential influence on national legislation and international practice. The commentary further addresses the mechanisms and challenges of implementation, examining how states, international organizations, and non-state actors operationalize the Compact’s provisions. Bridging legal scholarship, critical perspectives, and real-world practice, this commentary offers a forward-looking assessment of the GCM’s role in shaping the future of global migration governance.</jats:p>