IFRC President Statement: Reaction to UN Secretary General’s Report “Making Migration Work for All”

Geneva/New York, 11 January 2018 – The following can be attributed to Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):

“We welcome the report launched today by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and his Special Representative for International Migration, Louise Arbour. We thank Mr Guterres and Ms Arbour for their leadership.

“The violence, abuse and death that people face when migrating are preventable. The Red Cross and Red Crescent does not engage in debates about whether there should be more migration or less migration. We care about the safety and dignity of people, wherever they are. Migrants have the same human rights as everyone else. All people migrating should have unfettered access to essential services and humanitarian aid, as well as special protections for those most at risk, especially unaccompanied children.

“World leaders must act to stop death, despair and abuse along migration trails.

“We are happy to see that the safety and dignity of all migrants – of all people –are prominent in the report. It is our hope now that governments will adopt a Global Compact on Migration that delivers tangible, time-bound and compassionate outcomes for all migrants, regardless of their status.”

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