UN migration agency seeks $7.9 billion to help people on the move and the communities that host them

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s migration agency is launching its first “global appeal,” seeking $7.9 billion to help people on the move and ensure smoother pathways to migration. It comes at a time when the fallout from climate change, conflict and both economic and political distress has caused millions to leave their homes. The appeal from the International Organization for Migration puts it more into the hunt for aid money at a time when many donor governments face tight budgets. It’s part of a five-year strategic plan under IOM’s new director-general, Amy Pope, and the funding would benefit 140 million people.