Published on: 2026-05-07
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Migration is not a crisis. The crisis lies in the fact that the world is unable to effectively manage it through joint efforts. This was stated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the ongoing forum in New York on addressing the issue of international migration, calling on the global community to stop politicizing this matter.
According to the Secretary-General, today’s discourse around the movement of people is distorted by fear and disinformation, which leads to dehumanization and the deprivation of migrants’ and refugees’ basic rights. The head of the UN emphasized thatGlobal agreement on safe, orderly, and legal migrationremains the basis of multifaceted cooperation in this field.
Despite certain progress in expanding legal pathways and improving search and rescue operations, the situation remains difficult, Guterres noted. Statistics presented in the new report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicate catastrophic scales of human losses and exploitation in this sphere.
“In four years, the victims of human trafficking have amounted to no fewer than 200 thousand people – the majority being women and girls. In total, more than 15 thousand people have died or gone missing along migration routes over two years,” the Secretary-General reminded.
As a priority, the head of the UN highlights the protection of human rights and the humane management of migration. The head of the organization has called on governments to abandon discriminatory practices, find alternatives to the detention of children and families, and also ensure people have access to education, medical care, housing, and social protection.
Gutierres paid special attention to combating criminal networks. The UN chief sharply criticized current measures against smugglers, noting that resources allocated to combating human trafficking are incomparable to efforts to suppress drug trafficking. He called for the use of similar financial instruments to block the flow of funds to criminal groups.
“They exploit despair. They monetize suffering. And they profit from death. These are transnational criminal networks – and we need to fight them accordingly,” said the Secretary-General.
He proposed making legal migration pathways accessible and simple. Countries, according to the UN chief, should recognize the qualifications of migrants, abolish employment fees, and reduce the cost of money transfers. A predictable and fair migration system benefits all parties, including transit and destination countries, Gutierrez emphasized.
The Secretary-General also reminded of the necessity to create economic opportunities in countries of origin so that migration is a conscious choice, not a forced escape from hopelessness. This requires large-scale investment in education and creating jobs for young people.
“No single country can manage migration on its own. We need cooperation,” emphasized Guterres.
At the conclusion, the UN chief reminded about such a financial instrument as the UN Multilateral Targeted Migration Fund, which since 2019 has mobilized 68 million dollars.
He called on the forum participants to begin fulfilling specific obligations.
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