Election at UN migration agency pits its European chief against his American deputy

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — International Organization for Migration chief Antonio Vitorino of Portugal faces what is poised to be a tight race against his Biden administration-backed American deputy, Amy Pope, as the Geneva-based organization chooses its next director-general on Monday. The election comes as migrants have been on the move like never before, driven from their homes by factors including conflict, economic distress and opportunity, and the impacts of climate change. The U.S. and the European Union — both major funders of IOM — are facing challenges with migration, as are hotspots like Bangladesh, Ukraine, Sudan, and among Venezuela’s neighbors in Latin America.