Translated with AI
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, presenting the annual report on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration to the General Assembly, called on states to "choose cooperation over chaos," the UN press service reported.
Guterres criticized the politicization of migration, saying that in many countries, migrants are used "to score political points—with devastating human consequences." He emphasized that migrants are increasingly dehumanized and deprived of basic rights, despite their significant contributions to society.
According to the UN chief, restricting legal routes only pushes people into the hands of criminal networks. "When routes are closed, migrants don't disappear. They are pushed into exploitation and into the hands of smugglers," he said.
The Secretary-General recalled that thousands of people die or go missing every year due to a lack of safe alternatives. "Migration is not a crisis. The crisis is our failure to manage it together," he emphasized.
The report notes that countries have made some progress, from expanding legal channels to improving search and rescue systems. However, Guterres said these efforts "fall far short of what today's realities require."
He recalled that migration is a global phenomenon that cannot be addressed alone, especially in the context of climate change, demographic shifts and economic transformation.
Guterres highlighted two key areas for further action: expanding and simplifying regular migration routes, as well as investing in education and job creation in countries of origin. The Secretary-General called for intensifying the fight against human trafficking, standardizing ethical recruitment, ending the practice of detaining children on migration grounds, taking climate factors into account when planning migration policies, reducing the cost of remittances, and strengthening social cohesion.
The UN chief placed particular emphasis on the need to counter "toxic narratives." He said the world must "choose cooperation over chaos and dignity over discrimination."
The Secretary-General expressed hope that the upcoming International Migration Review Forum would be a moment to move from discussions to concrete action.
"Migration is a story of courage, resilience, and mutual benefit. Our task is to ensure it never becomes a story of death and despair," Guterres emphasized, calling for the Global Compact to be made a reality "in every region, along every route, for every migrant."
