UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized in his report to the General Assembly that in many countries, migrants are becoming the target of political manipulation, leading to serious human consequences. He made this point while presenting the annual report on the implementation of the global compact on safe and orderly migration.
He harshly criticized the use of migration for political purposes and noted that migrants face dehumanization and deprivation of basic rights, despite their significant contributions to societal development.
According to Guterres, the lack of legal migration pathways only exacerbates the situation, pushing people towards criminal groups.
“Closing migration routes does not eliminate the problem; it only results in people ending up in the hands of traffickers and becoming victims of exploitation,” he stated.
Guterres also reminded of the tragic consequences: thousands of people go missing or die each year due to the lack of safe alternatives.
Despite the successes achieved—such as the creation of new legal channels and improvements in rescue systems—the Secretary-General believes that these measures are “insufficient to address current issues.” He emphasized that migration is a global phenomenon that cannot be effectively regulated alone, especially in the context of climate change and economic transformations.
Guterres highlighted two main directions for addressing migration issues: expanding and simplifying legal migration pathways, as well as investing in education and job creation in migrants' countries of origin.
He called for an active fight against human trafficking, the implementation of ethical recruitment practices, the cessation of the practice of detaining children for migration-related reasons, as well as considering climate factors in the development of migration policy, reducing the cost of remittances, and strengthening social cohesion.
