Migration Emerges as the Centerpiece of the 70th United Nations General Assembly
The International Organization of Migration reports that migration has emerged as the centerpiece of the 70th United Nations General Assembly with numerous world leaders, among them the Pope, Barack Obama and Ban Ki Moon, making direct reference to the need for concerted global leadership. Against that background, the UN Secretary General today convened the first high level meeting on migration. With half a million migrants already crossed into to Europe in 2015 and with 3,000 deaths so far this year, IOM’s William Lacy Swing described the high level meeting as “welcome and urgent”. The overarching aim of this meeting is to elevate the issue of migration and refugees to a high level with member states. The meeting aims to discuss the issues behind the current migration emergencies as well as highlighting the complexities and development aspects that underpin people’s desire to migrate. A further aim of the session is to encourage enhanced cooperation and collective action in dealing with the problems and challenges of migration and human mobility, including mixed movements – those involving migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees. Facilitating safe, orderly and responsible mobility is also a key component of the post-2015 development agenda, which requires coordinated action not only among States, but also at all levels of government, and with a series of non-governmental stakeholders.
KJ