António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, pointed out that in many countries around the world, migrants are becoming tools for political manipulation, leading to serious human consequences. He made this statement during his presentation of the annual report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the global compact on safe and orderly migration.
In his speech, Guterres harshly criticized the use of migration for political purposes and noted that migrants increasingly face dehumanization and deprivation of fundamental rights, despite their significant contributions to societal development.
He noted that the restriction of legal migration pathways forces people to turn to criminal groups.
“When legal pathways are closed, migrants do not disappear. They fall into the hands of exploiters and smugglers,” added the UN Secretary-General.
According to him, the lack of safe alternatives results in many people dying or going missing each year.
The report also notes that countries have achieved certain successes, such as expanding legal migration channels and improving rescue systems. However, Guterres emphasized that these achievements are far from sufficient given the current challenges.
He reminded that migration is a global issue that cannot be solved alone, especially considering climate change, demographic shifts, and economic transformations.
The Secretary-General highlighted two main areas for future action: simplifying and expanding legal migration pathways, as well as investing in education and job creation in migrant-exporting countries.
Additionally, he called for active efforts to combat human trafficking, the implementation of ethical recruitment practices, the cessation of the detention of minors on migration grounds, the consideration of climate factors in migration policy, reducing the cost of remittances, and strengthening social cohesion.
