High Commissioner,
Let me begin, on behalf of our Secretary General Mr Markku Niskala, by expressing our appreciation for your invitation to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and a number of our member Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to participate in this important event.
I hope that you and other participants agree that the contributions of National Societies have given clear illustrations of how we work to meet humanitarian needs, everywhere in the world and all the time.
We have taken note of the willingness of governments, international organisations and NGOs to seek solutions to dilemmas caused by different types of migration.
Apart from this Dialogue, the Global Forum on Migration and Development is one of these encouraging signs. We are also most impressed by the contribution of the International Maritime Organisation which was the subject of the Side Event on Rescue at Sea. It contained many points concerning vulnerability during travel which are also relevant to persons to undertake hazardous land journeys.
We agree with the High Commissioner that migration is an inevitable and enduring fact in a world with a globalised economy. People from all countries are moving, as they always have, to places where they believe they have safety, or greater opportunities for themselves and their families.
We have also observed that people are move for reasons connected to environmental degradation or recurring natural disasters.
Whatever the reason, migration is a challenging process that can have severe humanitarian consequences and lead to vulnerability for those involved, especially destitute groups.
This is why migration has been given special priority by the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
As pointed out by our Secretary-General's Special Envoy in his keynote address at this Dialogue on Protection Challenges, the international protection instruments must be safeguarded in order to guarantee protection for people fleeing persecution and conflict.
However, these instruments do not cater for all those that are not entitled to international protection but are nevertheless in great need of humanitarian assistance and even protection from other forms of threats than persecution and armed conflict.
Among them are tens of millions of such people who are deemed irregular by public authorities.
These are people whose needs were so clearly identified two weeks ago at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference.
An important step towards addressing this dilemma is the Declaration, "Together for Humanity" adopted by this International Conference.
It was acknowledged there by states and National Societies sitting together on an equal level that the role of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants, irrespective of their legal status.
We have already seen encouraging signs that governments are taking serious steps to support National Societies to be able to fulfil this function.
High Commissioner, We have found the discussion of the background paper presented to this meeting and the 10 point Plan both positive and enriching.
We will use the discussion at this meeting, and the Plan in the further development of our work, as mandated by the IFRC General Assembly in November this year, on the further development of our policy on the broad issue of migration.
As we do this work we will link closely to you, High Commissioner and with other stakeholders.
However, valuable these documents are, they do not sufficiently address the humanitarian consequences of all persons negatively affected by migration and needing protection.
Nor do they give sufficiently weight to the importance of partnerships.
It is also vitally important in this context to consider the humanitarian consequences of migration and refugee movement for people in host communities.
This is where your convening role, High Commissioner, is so important. We well understand that some of the proposals that we and other participants are making today go beyond the scope of UNHCR, but this role of yours will make a significant difference to the way we all work to address the humanitarian needs of persons negatively affected by migration.
This is especially important because of the fact that so many people are either in mixed flows or in situations beyond the mandate of any one organisation.
This is an additional reason for our insistence on cooperation and partnerships.
The partnerships must be both national - especially with the public authorities and national NGOs - and international - to improve the services to persons at all stages of migration who are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.
It is of great importance that we continue the Dialogue you have initiated in order to limit the negative humanitarian consequences stemming from the migratory process.
We need to find new solutions.
We also want to see future initiatives put humanitarian consequences of migration management at the very centre of the dialogue.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent are looking forward to both new partnerships and a vital continuation of this dialogue:
• It is a dialogue which should maximise the considerable experience of all components of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement - including of course the expertise of the ICRC.
• It is a dialogue which can maximise the role of National Societies as auxiliaries to the public authorities in their countries.
It is truly within the theme of our own Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference - Together for Humanity.
Thank you High Commissioner for initiating a very productive Dialogue. We look forward keenly to helping bring its good ideas to reality.