International migration reached a total of 244,000,000 people in 2015, 
while the number of migrants as a percentage of global population remains stable at about 3%. As part of World Food Day 2017 observances, a meeting was held at the United Nations (UN) on 16 October titled “Change the Future of Migration: Invest in Food Security and Rural Development,” focusing on links between migration, food security, and rural development. Speakers included H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72d Session of the General Assembly, and ambassadors from Mexico, Philippines, and Italy, as well as business and UN representatives.
There exist
s a strong nexus between food security, migration, and global development. Many people move by choice, but a growing number are migrating for myriad reasons. Driving causes of migration include conflict, food instability, climate change, political instability, and poverty. Ms. Coco Ushimaya, World Food Program Director of the UN System (African Union & Multilateral Engagement Division), called for a cross-disciplinary approach to food security that includes local, national, and regional collaboration working toward the possibility of economic growth that will sustain peace.
As God has created us as whole persons, we too must focus on building earthly peace that encompasses all the dimensions of society. We pray for all migrants who have been forced to leave their homes, and for all the leaders locally and internationally working towards strengthening food security and global development.
