Brazil calls for more efforts to address root causes of refugees, migrants

Brazilian President Michel Temer on Monday called for strengthened efforts to deal with the root causes of the issues of refugees and migrants, saying that "we cannot close our eyes" to them.

Temer made the remarks while he was making his first presence at the United Nations as the the Brazilian president since assuming office on Aug. 31.

"We cannot close our eyes to the root causes of these two phenomena," he said at a high-level UN meeting on refugees and migrants. "Only negotiated solutions to political crises and inclusive development will prevent the forced displacement of large numbers of people."

"Let us be clear: the flows of refugees are the result of wars, repression, and violent extremism -- not their causes," he said.

"The legitimate concerns of governments for the security of their citizens must respect the inherent rights of every human being," he said.

"If we forfeit the resolute defense of those rights, we will be forfeiting our own humanity. In our relations with foreigners, with others, we test our allegiance to these values, our commitment to civilization."

Brazil is a country built on the strength of millions of people from all continents, the president said, adding that in the last years, Brazil has welcomed more than 95,000 refugees from 79 different nationalities.

At the UN General Assembly's first-ever high-level meeting on refugees and migrants, world leaders on Monday adopted the New York Declaration, which expresses their political will to protect the rights of refugees and migrants, to save lives and share responsibility for large movements on a global scale.

The meeting was held against a backdrop that more people are forced to flee their homes than at any time since World War II. Endit