Mapping private sector engagement along the migration cycle

The private sector plays an important role in achieving development outcomes and its engagement can help strengthen the link between displacement, migration and sustainable development, according to the OECD. International development agendas acknowledge this private sector role and advocate for joint solutions that involve the private sector in development – a sector traditionally dominated by public service actors.

The role of private sector engagement in migration and displacement has evolved beyond mobilising resources, to generating expertise, providing access and lobbying political leadership. However, the tendency of public-sector actors to engage with the private sector primarily as a funder or co-funder continues to prevail. In practice, there are numerous private actors operating at different levels. Consequently, their interests and the scope for collaboration with governments, donors and international organisations differs based on their assumed role in relation to migration and migrants. Public-sector actors therefore need to adopt different modalities and a variety of targeted approaches and tools to initiate and sustain partnerships with private sector actors.

This report maps private-sector activities relevant to migrants and explores how private and public-sector actors can engage jointly with migrants at various stages of the migration cycle. It discusses entry points for donors and governments aiming to establish greater engagement by the private sector or support privately-owned initiatives in migration that can help to make migration processes safer, as well as strengthen the rights of migrants and improve the levels of service provided to them.