UN urges international cooperation to make global migration safer

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Monday urged cooperation in managing migration to ensure that its benefits are most widely distributed, and that human rights of all concerned are protected.

"We recognize the contributions and celebrate the vitality of the world's 258 million migrants. Evidence overwhelmingly shows that migrants generate economic, social and cultural benefits for societies everywhere. Yet hostility towards migrants is unfortunately growing around the world. Solidarity with migrants has never been more urgent," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message commemorating the International Day, marked annually on December 18.

"Migration has always been with us. From time immemorial, people have moved in search of new opportunities and better lives. Climate change, demographics, instability, growing inequalities and aspirations for a better life, as well as unmet needs in labor markets, mean it is here to stay," said the UN chief.

For his part, the Director-General of the International Organization of Migration (IOM), William Lacy Swing, made an urgent call for safe migration in a world on the move, which is the theme of the 2017 edition of the International Day.

"While we live at a time when a privileged elite considers global mobility virtually its birth-right, it is denied to countless others trapped in hopelessly bad economic or conflict circumstances," he emphasized in an opinion piece.

Swing called migration a human reality to be managed, not a problem to be solved as he underscored the benefits of the Global Compact for Migration that is expected to be adopted by the end of 2018, once negotiations by UN Member States are concluded.

"If we stop to think about the strict and mandatory rules which enable over 34.5 million flights per year that enable the equivalent of 44 percent of the world's population to take off and land safely, it should be possible to find some common rules in order to allow many more to travel, migrate and return home freely and safely," he stressed.

He emphasized the need to assist migrants, saying "if we don't come up with solutions, the smugglers will do it for us, at great cost to human life and to the fabric of our societies." Enditem