© UNICEF/X. Aro Migrants often choose dangerous routes. UN Secretary General: the world needs a fair and predictable migration system Refugees and migrants
Migration is not a crisis. The crisis lies in the fact that the world is not able to effectively manage it through joint efforts. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated this at the Forum on International Migration in New York, calling on the world community to stop politicizing this issue.
According to the Secretary General, today the discourse around the movement of people is distorted by fear and misinformation, which leads to the dehumanization and deprivation of migrants of their basic rights. The UN chief emphasized that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration remains the basis for multilateral cooperation in this area.
Despite some progress in expanding legal routes and improving search and rescue operations, the situation remains difficult, Guterres said. Statistics presented in a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicate the catastrophic scale of human loss and exploitation in this area.
“Over four years, at least 200 thousand people have become victims of human trafficking – most of them women and girls. In just two years, more than 15 thousand people died or went missing on migration routes,” the Secretary General recalled.
The UN head highlights the protection of human rights and humane migration management as a priority. The head of the organization called on governments to end discriminatory practices, find alternatives to the detention of children and families, and ensure people have access to education, health care, housing and social protection.
Guterres paid special attention to the fight against criminal networks. The UN chief sharply criticized current measures to combat smugglers, noting that the resources allocated to combat human trafficking are not comparable to efforts to curb drug trafficking. He called for similar financial instruments to be used to block the income streams of criminal gangs.
“They exploit desperation. They monetize suffering. And they profit from death. These are transnational criminal networks – and they need to be dealt with accordingly,” the Secretary General said.
He proposed making legal migration routes accessible and simple. Countries, according to the UN chief, should recognize the qualifications of migrants, eliminate employment fees and reduce the cost of remittances. A predictable and fair migration system brings benefits to all parties, including transit and destination countries, Guterres emphasized.
The Secretary-General also recalled the need to create economic opportunities in countries of origin so that migration is a conscious choice and not a forced escape from hopelessness. This requires massive investment in education and job creation for young people.
“No country can manage migration alone. We need cooperation,” Guterres emphasized.
In conclusion, the UN head recalled such financial instruments as the UN Multilateral Trust Fund for Migration, which has mobilized $68 million since 2019.
He called on forum participants to move on to implementing specific obligations.