Statistics released by the UN on Sunday indicate that migrants from developing countries sent home $466 billion in 2017, tripling the amount sent globally for development aid.

The world body released the figure on the eve of the two-day Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which opens in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

According to the UN, 3.4 per cent of the world’s population today, representing 258 million, are international migrants of which 50 million are children.

It noted the number of men and women were almost at par, adding that the migrants spent 85 per cent of their earnings in their host countries.

The world body stated that most of the migrants moved through safe and legal means, while more than 60,000 migrants died since 2000 while undertaking dangerous journeys in search of greener pastures.

UN General Assembly decided to launch a process of intergovernmental negotiations, leading to the adoption of Global Compact for Migration.

Modalities for the conference were further elaborated in resolutions 71/280 of April 6, 2017, 72/244 of Dec. 24, 2017 and 72/L.67 of July 31, 2018.

It is the first-ever agreement on a common approach to international migration in all its dimensions.

NAN