International Migration Review Forum 2026 - 4th Plenary meeting, General debate (continued) and Closing segment

Good afternoon.
The fourth panel meeting of the Second International Migration Review Forum is called to order.
The forum will consider Agenda Item five entitled adoption of the Progress Declaration.
The documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations.
We shall now proceed to consider the draft resolution A Stroke AC 293 Stroke 2026 Stroke L one.
Before giving the floor for the explanation of vote, before the vote, may I remind delegations that they are strongly urged to limit explanation of votes to 5 minutes, which should in any case, not exceed 10 minutes and be made from their seats.
Maybe remembering that representatives from capitals including ministers had 3 minutes to speak, maybe we can really not exceed or extend these five or 10 minutes.
By this, I call on the first speaker, Nicaragua.
Please, You Excellency, you have the floor.
You guys have proceed.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
The honor to deliver this statement on behalf of Cuba, Belarus, Eritrea, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and my own country, Nicaragua.
We thank the co facilitators, Kenney and Luxembourg, for their efforts in guiding the negotiations of the Progress Declaration of the Second International Immigration Review Forum.
However, we deeply regret that the final text omitted an inevient and widely documented reality, the devastating impact of unilateral coercive measures on peoples and their direct relationship with the increase of number of migrants in various regions of the world.
Unilateral coercive measures severly affect national economies, restrict trade and access to international financing, hinder acquisitions of medicines, food, technology, and essential supplies, weaken health and social protection systems, reduce employment opportunities, and progressively deteriorate the living conditions of millions of people, undermining the efforts to implement the sustainable development goals and the 2030 agenda.
Their effects fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable sectors, deepening poverty, exclusion, and social inequalities.
To this day, no one has been able to refute truth, objective evidence or effects, the serious human impact that unilateral coercive measures inflict upon civilians populations.
Reality demonstrates that when the normal functionality on economies is restricted and the capacity of states to provide employment, essential services and social protection is weakened, poverty, uncertainty and social fragility intensify.
In such circumstances, millions of people from countries of origin, transit, and destinations are affected by these illegal and illegitimate measures which have structural impediments to grow and devastating socioeconomic consequences on the developing countries.
The consequence of these measures are visible in different regions of the world, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, where broad sector of the population have suffered a sustained deterioration in their living conditions.
Economic contractions, difficulties in accessing food medicines, fuel technology, and financing, as well as a reduction of employment and development opportunities.
How generate scenarios of increasing social vulnerability.
These realities ultimately fuel increasingly complex migration dynamics, both within affected countries and towards other regions by turning immigration into an alternative for survival for millions of people.
It is proudly contradictory that while the international community debates the structural causes of migration and promotes comprehensive approaches to address them, the text of the declaration does not refer to the destabilizing effects that unilateral coercive measures have on economies and development, thereby undermining the right of people to development, peace, economic stability, and social well being.
Oomitting this reality seriously limits the possibility of building migration policies that are truly objective, balanced, and people centered.
We reaffirm our unwavering call to put an end to these illegal unilateral coercive measures.
We consider it is indispensable that future processes and declarations of migration governances fully recognize this reality and address the root causes of migration in an objective, inclusive manner in accordance with the principle of the charter of the United Nations and international law.
Thank you.
Than the Distinguished representative of Nicaragua on behalf of the Group of States.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Norway, followed by Canada.
Thank you, Madam President.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
We thank the co facilitators, Kenia and Luxembourg for their transparent and inclusive approach throughout the negotiations and we appreciate the constructive engagement by all delegations.
Migration is a global reality that presents both opportunities and challenges.
These require effective multilateral cooperation, and we view the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and the Progress Declaration as important frameworks for such cooperation.
We support the adoption of the Progress Declaration, which we consider a balanced outcome.
We welcome in particular that the Declaration is non legally binding and does not alter the commitments made under the Global Compact.
It does not create new legal obligations, nor seek to interpret existing international law.
It reaffirms the obligation of all states to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of all migrants regardless of status and highlights the importance of child sensitive and gender responsive migration policies.
It reiterates the obligation of states to receive and readmit their own nationals in full respect of the human right to return to one's country and underscores the importance of sustainable reintegration.
This includes cases of safe and dignified non voluntary returns following an individual assessment and due process.
To ensure the return of individuals without a legal right to stay, we need to explore new ways of cooperating on migration.
These new arrangements should be consistent with states international human rights obligation.
It recognizes the need for well managed borders and migration systems in line with obligations under international law and the importance of combating irregular migration, migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, including through international cooperation and protection of victims.
Madam President, we would also like to clarify the following points.
Decisions regarding regular pathways remain the sovereign prerogative of states.
Efforts to address disinformation must not restrict freedom of expression, which remains a fundamental human right.
Children should not be subject to arbitrary arrest or arbitrary detention based solely on their migration status and that the deprivation of the liberty of migrant children should be a measure of last resort.
Our domestic legislation sets out clear safeguards in this regard.
States retain the right to apply criminal law provisions to those who commit offenses, for example, related to migrant smuggling, including when such actions contribute to the operations of smuggling networks.
While we acknowledge the positive contributions that regular migration can bring, we also note that challenges related to integration persists and should be reflected in our collective efforts.
Madam President, we regard the Global Compact and the Progress Declaration as valuable tools for strengthening international cooperation on migration.
We call on all states to continue advancing their implementation in a balanced and effective manner.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Norway on behalf of a group of states.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished representative of Canada.
Excellencies, Canada would like to start by thanking the permanent representative of the Republic of Kenya, His Ececy Mr.
Eatele Lake, and the permanent representative of Bxenburg, His Excellency, Mr.
Olivier Miss, as well as their teams for their co facilitation of the Progress Declaration.
You have led us in a transparent, inclusive progress, and we commend your leadership.
Progress Declaration is an important milestone for the implementation of the Global Compact.
It allows us as a global community to meaningfully reflect on and assess the opportunities that migration brings and the challenges that we face.
We know that this looks different in every region and every country and yet this progress Declaration shows us that we have much more in common than we do different.
That when we share best practices with one another, learn from one another, and actively look for those points of commonality, we can indeed make progress towards the implementation of the Global Compact together.
Canada believes that the text before us today represents a balance of the opportunities, interests, and concerns across regions.
It reaffirms that the Global Compact is a living framework that provides us the tools we need to be able to discuss and approach migration together, reaching across borders.
We are pleased by the continued commitment to international cooperation, dignified returns, the responsible use of digital technology, and combating misinformation.
For Canada, it is also of particular importance that the text is clear on the ongoing respect for international law, a human rights based approach, gender responsive migration, and protecting the best interests of the child.
Canada looks forward to our ongoing support of the GCM in advancing our pledges and to continue to work with member states, international organizations, UN agencies, and civil society.
We thank all member states, UN agencies, and stakeholders who worked tirelessly in the spirit of international cooperation to achieve this important text.
Canada strongly supports this resolution, and we look forward to continuing our work together in the spirit of safe, orderly, and regular migration.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I thank the Distinguished Representative of Canada.
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote before the vote.
We will now proceed to take a decision on draft resolution A Stroke AC 293 Stroke 2026 Stroke L one, entitled Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum.
May I take it that the forum decides to adopt draft resolution A Stroke AC, 293 Stroke 2026, Stroke L one.
It is so decided.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Congratulations to all of you.
Before giving the floor for the explanation of vote after the vote, may I remind delegations that they are strongly urged to limit time explanations of vote to 5 minutes, which should in any case, not exceed 10 minutes and be made from their seats.
I would just like to draw the attention that we have many explanations of votes after the vote.
Please, if I could ask you to be as sharp and short as you can.
As the first speaker, I give the floor to distinguish representative of Cuba, followed by Chile and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Since its adoption in 2018, Cuba has repeatedly underscored its commitment to the Global Compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration.
This is why Cuba recognizes the importance of this review forum and has participated actively in its two sessions and has joined the consensus as regards the recently adopted progress Declaration.
The statement is clear.
There is still a great deal to do in order to achieve all 23 objectives of the Compact entirely.
While modest progress has been made in implementation of the Compact over the last four years, there has been an alarming increase in discriminatory practices and racist and xenophobic discourse in various parts of the world, including highly developed countries where migrants make an essential contribution to the economy.
Despite this, they continue to be mistreated and suffer discrimination.
In supporting this progress Declaration, we reaffirm our commitment to safe orderly and regular migration.
We regret, nevertheless, that the declaration does not mention the market impact of unilateral coercive measures in the migration phenomenon, despite having been a topic that received much support during negotiations.
We align with the statement delivered by Nicaragua on behalf of a group of countries on this matter.
The Cuba's case speaks volumes.
The economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba recently strengthened to unprecedented levels, recently through a stranglehold on fuel has a serious impact on our economy and ally impacts the potential of migration.
This leads to irregular and disorderly migration differential treatment affecting Cuban migrants that attempt to reach the borders of the United States.
It affects not only Cuban migrants and United States citizens themselves, but it also has consequences on a number of transit countries in our region.
We therefore denounce the privileged treatment offered by the United States to Cubans who come to the border.
And the aggressive and hostile policy of this country aimed at destroying the Cuban economy and toppling the revolution that only stimulates irregular and unsafe migration and is beneficial only to those syndicates dedicated to the trafficking of people.
We will continue to work and to cooperate with countries in the region in order to prevent irregular, unsafe, and disorderly migration, in order to prevent risky exits that endanger human lives and to combat connected crimes such as the illegal trafficking of migrants in order to protect the human rights of migrants.
I thank you, Madam President.
I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba.
I now give the word to the distinguished representative of Chile.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Chile is requesting the floor as having used the option of not using consensus, despite not being part of the compact adopted in 2018, we at the time abstained.
We did so under the premise that migration policy is a sovereign matter of state.
We must highlight that there has been a substantial transformation in migration in Chile.
We are facing real challenges in terms of border governance, management of irregular flows, and institutional capacity.
We are addressing this on the basis of legal order and international commitments and despite not being a part of the compact adopted in 2018, Chile has to cooperate.
Chile is facing a complex situation, and this is impacting fundamental rights where this is affecting our ability to welcome migrants.
In 2021, Chile communicates as an observer said clearly, the condition means that we haven't fulfilled it and we have submitted this to the review mechanism, including this year.
Bearing in mind all of these facts and the fact that we are adhering to the decision decided by others, our country believes that intervening in the adoption by consensus would lead to undue interference in matters that fall exclusively to parties, not those who have declined to be a part of it and The migration policy in Chile reaffirms the commitment of the country to safely and regular migration on the basis of the fundamental rights that are enshrined in our constitution and in accordance with the relevant human rights documents on the basis of state sovereignty to control the entry, exit, and residency of people in the country.
I thank you.
I thank the Distinguished Representative of Chile.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, followed by Uruguay and Italy.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
The delegation of Islamic Republic of Iran had engaged constructively in the negotiations of the texts of the International Migration Review Foreign Progress Declaration.
Iran has for decades hosted millions of foreign nationals in full respect of their human dignity while continuing to provide essential services under significant domestic pressure resulting from the unilateral coercive measures, including unlawful unilateral sanctions.
That generosity has been guided by a strong commitment to human dignity, even as international support has remained very limited and uneven.
Islamic Republic of Iran underscores that both the Global Compact for Safe, orderly and regular migration and the Progress Declaration of International Migration Review Forum are of a purely voluntary and non legally binding nature.
They are understood as frameworks containing no obligatory guidelines and recommendations aimed at facilitating cooperation among states in the management of migration and do not in any manner create or imply new legal obligations or commitments for member states.
In this context, the positions and interpretative statements previously articulated by the Islamic Republic of Iran with regard to both instruments remain fully valid and applicable.
My delegation wishes to underscore that the implementation of the Global Compact on migration and the progress Declaration of the IMRF should be understood in accordance with domestic legal frameworks and national sovereignty, taking into consideration the diverse national realities, capacities, level of development, the policy priorities of member states, and prevailing economic and social conditions.
While joining the consensus, Istomic Republic of Iran remains of the view that several provisions extended beyond the appropriate scope of review exercise and insufficiently reflect the sovereign prerogative of the states, their domestic legal systems, and their cultural and religious particularities.
Accordingly, and despite its longstanding preference for consensus, Islamic Republic of Iran dissociates itself from the presents Declaration.
Iran raises substantive concerns regarding terminology and formulations that lack universal acceptance in international law or introduced contested normative concepts.
In particular, references to multiple and intersecive forms of discrimination, as well as expansive interpretation of non discrimination are viewed as inconsistent with established legal frameworks and the sovereign right of states to regulate migration.
Similarly, terms such as sexual and gender based violence and repeated gender responsive language are considered non consensual and incompatible with the legal and cultural contexts of many member states.
My delegation further underscores references to all migrants regardless of their migration status, risk conflating regular and irregular migration, thereby undermining the sovereign authority of the states to regulate entry, residence, and access to service in accordance with the rule of law, while affirming the inherent dignity of all individuals.
The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains that rights and entitlement must remain subject to national legislation.
In this regard, terms such as integration should not be interpreted as implying permanence or creating obligations beyond those provided for under domestic law.
In the same vein, serious concern is also expressed regarding the treatment of irregular migration and the use of terms such as migrants in vulnerable situation, which if insufficiently circumscribed, imply automatic entitlements, regularization pathways or open ended service obligations.
References to victim centered approaches and identification mechanisms similarly requires clarification to ensure that they remain strictly within national jurisdiction and do not introduce rules for non state actors or external monitoring bodies.
My delegation further objects to reference to climate change that do not adequately reflect internationally a principles, including the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Additionally, the Islamic Republic of Iran stresses the necessity of explicitly addressing the adverse impacts of unilateral coercive measures which undermine service provision and violate human rights and calls for their clear prohibition in future texts.
Light of the above, Islamic Republic of Iran dissociated itself from the above elements of the declaration in paragraphs 3, four, five, six, 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 27, 31, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 46, 50, 51, 54, and 57, which are inconsistent with its principal positions while remaining committed to constructive engagement in future deliberations.
Grounded in sovereignty, balance, and genuine international cooperation.
My delegation would like to request is a statement to put in the official records and relevant reports of this meeting.
Thank you, Madam President.
I thank the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished representative of Ogy.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Uruguay wishes to begin by recognizing and specifically thanking the efforts of Luxembourg and Kenya in their roles as co facilitators of the negotiation process of the Progress Declaration together with the Secretariat of the Migration Network.
This allowed us to come to this forum with a firm and balanced declaration.
While we would have preferred a more ambitious declaration, we are pleased to offer national support and we welcome its approval by consensus.
My delegation participated actively and constructively in the negotiation and was guided by a fundamental principle, the universality of human rights.
And safeguarding the principles and spirit of the global compact that we agreed in 2018.
Madam President, Universal Declaration of Human Rights has no exceptions.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and Declaration has been part of human history and it has made a positive contribution to development and the cultural wealth of our societies.
All people and movement, whatever their migration status might be deserve to be treated on an equal footing in terms of their human rights.
In this regard, my delegation regrets the significant difficulties encountered during negotiation and it failure to recognize the universality of human rights.
This universality of human rights, recognition would have led to a firmer declaration that could have inspired other countries such as regularization initiatives in line with our position We wish to leave on the record that we would have preferred to have more ambitious language condemning the worrying trends that we are witnessing daily.
This includes growing disinformation, dehumanization, discrimination and racism against migrants or xenophobia against migrants.
We also regret that we have not been able to achieve consensus to make a commitment as the international community in order to put an end to the detention of child migrants in line with the existing obligations on human rights and the committee on the Rights of the Child needs to have been clear that detention of my child migrants is never in line with their best interests.
We have invited alternative to detention as recommended by the SD in this report.
We also welcome the explicit mention in the Declaration of the principle of non discrimination and non regression.
This is one of the major requests that my delegation had in the final phase of negotiation.
We felt that this brought considerably greater balance to the text.
Madam President, we are committed to using this declaration as a roadmap to continue implementing the Global Compact nationally and regionally, including during our chairing of the region from this year and other forum.
We will continue to work for the regularization, social inclusion of migrants so that we can ensure their full enjoyment of their human rights.
We look forward to continue benefiting from international cooperation when it is useful.
Thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Uruguay.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy, followed by the Russian Federation in Denmark.
Thank you, Madam President.
Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia are not parties to the Global Compact for safe, orderly and irregular migration and do not intend to become one.
We are therefore disassociating ourselves from the consensus on the Progress Declaration which does not meet our expectations and focuses mainly on the implementation of the compact.
The vote been called on the text, we would have voted against it.
We thank the co facilitators, Kenya and Luxembourg for their constructive approach, but we feel that this is a missed opportunity to adopt a more pragmatic and effective tone addressing the issue of immigration in its full complexity, moving beyond polarized and ideologized perspectives.
Moreover, the text before us fails to take stock of how the approach to migration has evolved since 2019 when the compact was signed.
We advocated language reflecting the recent evolution of the global approach to migration, in particular, the growing awareness of the fundamental difference between regular and irregular migration and the innovative solutions that have emerged since 2019 to counter illegal migration.
The progress Declaration does not meet these standards and we cannot support it.
Our policy on migration is characterized by a comprehensive approach in line with international law and the respect of human rights that combines one, reinforced cooperation with countries of origin and transit of migrants to address the root causes of migration and enable individuals to exercise the right not to migrate.
Two, a firm fight against human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and irregular migration, which are the main causes of fatalities at sea.
Three, safe, legal and orderly migration pathways in accordance with national legislation and needs.
Recalling that the Global Compact is a non legally binding, but only a voluntary cooperative framework to which we like other countries are not parties, we wish again to underline that first, nations have a sovereign duty to protect their borders and a sovereign right to decide who enters their territory legally.
It must be states and not criminal networks that manage migration flows.
Fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling is essential to prevent irregular migration.
In this sense, the text fails to properly address this priority and reflect international initiatives aimed at combating these crimes, such as the Global Alliance against the smuggling of migrants.
Additionally, we deeply regret that the declaration contains no reference to the instrumentalization of migration despite concrete and documented instances of this phenomenon in recent years.
We believe that acknowledging the risk related to instrumentalization of migration for political or other purposes is essential for an honest assessment of current challenges and for designing adequate responses that are both human rights compliant and security sensitive.
Second, by failing to make the crucial distinction between irregular, irregular, and illegal migration, this text risks undermining the role of regular pathways, which remain a sovereign prerogative in line with national legislation, while inadvertently creating pull factors that ultimately benefit criminal organization.
Third, nations have the right to develop their own migration policies in line with their obligation under international law and to explore innovative solutions in this context.
We regret that the text views such initiatives, which have recently become more frequent with undue skepticism rather than acknowledging them as legitimate and positive policy options.
Finally, we would have welcomed stronger and more operational language on the return and the readmission of irregular migrants.
We note with concern that the declaration does not include any explicit reference to non voluntary returns.
We request that this statement to be put on record.
Thank you, Madam President.
I thank the Distinguished Representative of Italy.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.
Madam President, throughout the entire negotiations process, the Russian delegation has consistently pointed out the need to conduct further work on paragraphs 19 and 45, especially as it relates to the UNSG's recommendation on strengthening cooperation on searching missing migrants and providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in distress so as to prevent loss of life during transit.
Regrettably, Our proposals were not taken on board even after we broke silence.
The aforementioned recommendations, which today were included in the document did not undergo intergovernmental negotiation, nor were they considered in relevant humanitarian fora under your auspices.
Some of them deserve our support.
Some of the provisions require further study.
And there are also some which are unacceptable to us.
If I may, I'd like to draw your attention to some of these details.
The recommendations promote humanitarian safe spaces or service points.
We discussed them on numerous occasions, yet consensus was not garnered.
An arbitrary interpretation of these safe spaces could be grist to the mill of destructive elements.
It could be used to exercise pressure as well as undermine the principles of neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian assistance.
We do not support these concepts being used.
On a separate note, the issue of cross border humanitarian coordination mentioned in paragraph 45, while this is inextricably linked to the principle of consent of the country receiving international assistance, and yet neither the SG's recommendations nor the text of the declaration makes any mention of this.
Such an approach is also unacceptable.
Further clarification and probably corrections are required as regards the recommendations on a clear division of labor between humanitarian assistance and migration governance, as well as the role civil society plays in supporting migrant families.
Furthermore, we approach very cautiously initiatives that haven't been worked through yet, initiatives regarding the establishment of independent assessment bodies.
We believe that we do have such bodies, national courts.
There is no reason to create any separate body.
The Russian Federation fully supports activities aimed at providing assistance to persons in distress, including migrants, yet it's important for this support to be provided on the basis of generally recognized humanitarian principles and keeping with UNGA resolution 46 stroke 182.
The fact that it's not mentioned in the SG's recommendations is in our view a serious omission.
Madam President, the Russian Federation would like to reaffirm its position.
We believe.
Under national conditions, it is unacceptable to use terms such as multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination as well as the term survivors.
We believe that any mention of the word gender and related terms in the document to be referring to men and women.
In light of the above, we'd like to dissociate ourselves from the consensus on paragraphs 19 38, and 45.
Thank you very much.
Than the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Denmark, followed by Lithuania and Belgium.
President, allow me to start by sincerely thanking the UN Network on migration, the Office of the President of the General Assembly, and the co facilitators of the Progress Declaration, Kenya and Luxembourg for their hard work in making this forum a success.
President, that being said, had there been a vote, Denmark would have abstained.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished Representative of Denmark.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Lithuania.
Microphone.
Still not working.
Maybe you can try the seat next to you.
Now it's blinking.
Sorry for that.
Thank you, Madam President.
I would like to start by thanking the co facilitators from Kenya and Luxembourg for their dedication and hard work.
We underline that the Global Compact for migration is political and aspirational in nature.
It does not create or change rights, obligations under international or domestic law.
The Progress Declaration follows the same approach, reflecting non binding political commitments implemented in line with national law and existing international obligations.
If the vote would be called, Lithuania would abstain.
We wish to express our national position on certain aspects of the text.
First, Lithuania recalls that member states have the authority to regulate migration within their jurisdiction.
This includes the right to distinguish between irregular and irregular migration status.
Second, Lithuania stresses the importance of avoiding mechanisms that create unreasonable expectations that irregular migration flows may be regularized.
Third, Lithuania supports a comprehensive approach based on cooperation between countries of origin, transit, and destination and shared responsibility along migration routes.
Fourth, Lithuania underlines that the instrumentalization of migrants by state and non state actors is a serious challenge.
Such practices increase vulnerability, fuel criminal activity, and undermine international cooperation.
It must be clearly rejected.
Despite different national approaches, Lithuania remains committed to working with partners to advance the 23 objectives of the Global Compact in a way that is realistic, responsible, and lawful.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Lithuania.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Belgium, followed by Brazil and Mexico.
Thank you, Madam President.
Belgium fully recognizes the importance of governing migration in order to harness its potential while effectively addressing its challenges.
Our central objective remains to ensure that safe, orderly and regular migration can be beneficial to all in line with the SDG.
Belgium remains committed to migration policies that are effective, humane, and well managed, grounded in international cooperation, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
Belgium recalls that the international community should also continue to invest in poverty reduction, resilience, and inclusive growth in view of addressing the root causes of migration.
Belgium considers the IMRF an essential moment to take stock of the progress achieved since the adoption of the Global Compact and to reaffirm our shared responsibility in addressing migration as a global challenge.
We would like to express our appreciation for the inclusive and transparent process that characterized the negotiations on the Progress Declaration.
We thank the co facilitator, Luxebourg and Kenya for their sustained engagement, their openness to dialogue, and their efforts to bridge diverging positions in a complex multilateral environment.
We welcome the emphasis placed in the Declaration on cooperation between countries of origin, transit, and destination, reflecting a clearer hall of fruit perspective and shared responsibilities in migration management.
Belgium also appreciates the attention given to a human rights based approach, as well as the overall attention given to vulnerable migrants and Belgium also values the addition of reference to cooperation with regard to identification in the context of returns.
We welcome the explicit reaffirmation of the non legally binding nature of the Global Compact for migration, which is essential to ensuring broad ownership and continued engagement with the framework.
At the same time, Belgium is of the view that taken as a whole, the current Progress Declaration does not provide a sufficiently balanced and 360 degree approach to migration management and fails to ensure equal attention to preventing irregular migration, including by addressing root causes, countering migrant smuggling and trafficking, promoting effective return and sustainable reintegration, and providing regular pathways in line with national competencs.
This regard, Belgium stresses that realistic and well targeted regular migration pathways developed in line with national competencs and labor market needs are an essential component of an effective migration management system and contribute to reducing irregular migration.
The declaration also does not sufficiently distinguish between regular and irregular migration status.
Nor does it adequately recognize the non voluntary component within the broader framework of a safe and dignified return and reintegration carried out in full respect of human rights and international obligations.
Belgium firmly believes that a comprehensive migration policy must balance rights and responsibilities of states and migrants and be embedded in a whole of government approach.
Our national experience demonstrates that such a balanced approach is both necessary and achievable as reflected in Belgium's voluntary national contribution to the IMF.
Madam President, for these reasons, had the Progress Declaration being called to a vote, Belgium would have abstained.
We nevertheless remain fully committed to the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and to constructive and comprehensive partnerships at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels.
We will continue working towards migration policies that are humane, effective, and firmly grounded in shared responsibility and solidarity.
I thank you.
I thank the Distinguished Representative of Belgium and I now give the floor to the Distinguish representative of Brazil.
Thank you, Madam President.
Brazil is grateful to Luxembourg and Kenya for their dedication in facilitating the progress Declaration.
We welcome its adoption by consensus.
We deeply regret rollbacks in international cooperation in the area of migration governance.
Unfortunately, this was reflected in the negotiations of the Progress Declaration.
Promoting international cooperation, defending the rights of child migrants and reaffirming that all migrant people individual regardless of their status are human rights holders should not be a controversial statement.
While the adopted declaration is not as ambitious as Brazil would have liked, we recognized significant advances in the text, including the request from the Secretary-General of an evaluation of alternative child sensitives, alternatives to detention.
And agreements that have passed on to other countries any responsibilities in the area of migration.
We hope here to have cleared the way towards a end of the detention of child migrants and the elimination of externalization measures that are a breach of the human right.
Of children and also those migrants and refugees as a champion of the Global Compact, Brazil can needs to be convinced that protection of all of the human rights of all migrant persons regardless of their migration status is a shared responsibility.
We reaffirm our commitment to continue driving and implementing both the Global Compact itself and the present Progress Declaration.
We recall that the protection of migrant populations ultimately redounds in many benefits for countries of origin, trans destination equally.
It also contributes to sustainable development and also to building more just and inclusive societies.
I thank you.
I thank the Stingish Representative of Brazil.
I now give the floor to the Stingish Representative of Mexico, followed by El Salvador in Slovakia.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
As one of the drivers of the Global Compact for Safe order and regular Migration, Mexico decisively supports the Progress Declaration at the Second Review forum on international migration.
We reaffirm our commitment to this valuable multilateral process that is based on the goodwill of the negotiating states.
My delegation actively participated in the consultative process with a view to achieving a genuinely balanced text given a complex and politicized environment as a country of origin, destination, and transit, we recognize the 23 objectives established in the compact reflect a comprehensive vision of migration policy and This is why we have issued this information highlighting a number of points in the declaration that in our view, fall short of the comprehensive vision contained in the compact, given that the overall vision basis of this exercise is progress in implementation of its objectives.
Firstly, each state does indeed have the prerogative to decide who enters into their country.
Nevertheless, once inside the state has an obligation to guarantee all of the human rights to all individuals without distinction.
For Mexico, it's essential that we ensure that all migrant persons, regardless of their migration status or situation, have a guarantee of full fulfillment of their human rights.
We reiterate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that freedom, justice, and peace in the world are based on the recognition of the intrinsic dignity and equal and inalienable rights of every single member of the human family.
This constitutes one of the key pillars of Mexico's foreign policy and in our view, this also should be part of migration governance.
Secondly, Mexico has given particular importance to the protection promotion of the rights of migrant children.
We have supported the inclusion of a based understanding alternatives to attention.
Since we began discussions about the compact as proof of our commitment to this, we have included provisions from the Declaration on the Rights of the Child into our own legal text.
In the same vein, and while we recognize that the progress declaration includes actionable language for included in the future practical recommendations and an assessment of progress and challenges in the area of child sensitive alternatives to detention, we profoundly regret that the principle of the best interests of the child has been subjected to disproportionate politicization.
Putting an end to the detention of children should not be a relative consideration.
It should be a norm applied to all states.
We firmly support that the principle of the overriding best interests of the child should be the basis of all decisions that involve any children and adolescents and this should be independent of their migration status.
Okay.
Detention of children can ever be considered an adequate idea for the protection of children.
Thirdly, it's necessary that we continue to develop alternatives attention for migrants in general.
We support strengthening institutional capacity, expanding regular pathways for migration, the design of programs to regularize migrant situation, which should be part of the common interest of both receiving and sending societies and migrants and we should base these on community initiatives.
Mexico, it's essential that we drive collective actions that are focused on inclusion, protection, and family reunification and access to services and also respect for human rights.
Fourthly, eradicating, dehumanizing discourse and narratives and xenophobic and discriminatory speech against migrants.
We underscore the need to recognize the valuable contribution that migrants make to economic, social and cultural development of all of our societies.
We therefore consider that it's essential that we avoid approaches that lead to the criminalization of migrants to the detriment of comprehensive governance based on shared responsibility, human rights, and inclusion.
We reiterate that migration does not represent a problem.
Rather, it is a phenomenon that is a part of the human condition and when managed in a safe, orderly and regular way offers innumerable opportunities and benefits to societies of origin and destination and to the human family as a whole.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador, followed by Slovakia and Austria.
Thank you, Madam President.
El Salvador, thanks the co facilitators of Kenya and Luxemburg, Ambassador Equita Locale, and Ambassador Olivier Myers and their team, Isabel and Lemmi for the outstanding work that they conducted throughout the negotiation of the Declaration on progress.
It was conducted in an open, transparent, and inclusive way and this is reflected in a balanced and coherent text that aligns with the mandate set out on Resolution 73 stroke 326.
My country held substantive exchanges with all member states involved and while we have supported the adoption by consensus of the declaration, we recognize the progress incorporated in the final text, we regret that some points reflect a lower level of ambition compared to the progress declaration adopted in 2022.
In particular, We are concerned by the inclusion of language formulations that may lead to restrictive interpretations in terms of the full enjoyment of human rights by all migrant persons regardless of their migration status, as well as greater conditions to certain national framework commitments, especially in areas related to access to services and social protection.
In this regard, my delegation would have preferred to have more robust language as regards the transformational dimension of migration as a driver of development and on the need to strengthen comprehensive systems for care and protection, especially for migrant women and persons in situations of vulnerability.
A issue that we had concrete proposals for during negotiations.
In this regard, we regret there is no reflection or a clear reflection of the need to move towards migration policies that recognize protection for women migrants who play key roles in the care and domestic work sector to ensure workers' rights and effective access to services, given the particularly vulnerable situations that many of these women face over the course of their migrant life.
Nevertheless, we consider there has been significant progress.
There has been an right approach for all migrants regardless of their migration status, non discrimination.
And highlighted the need for comprehensive and balanced approaches, protection against new forms of exploitation and broadening of regular pathways for migration.
The detention of migrants migrant children will never be in the best interests of the child.
We also recognize the efforts by some states to put an end to the detention of child migrants and to establish a pathway to continuing these efforts It's probably the case that many countries are not 100% in agreement with the text of the declaration and even my country would have preferred to have stronger language and stronger commitments in different areas.
However, we know that this is the outcome of a truly multilateral process.
Madam President, the adoption by consensus of this progress Declaration represents an important step forward in multilateral conversations about addressing migration more comprehensively within the framework of the United Nations with a right approach throughout the migration cycle.
We are grateful for the support and assistance of the IOM and the coordinator of the migration Network, together with the civil society organizations and other UN agencies.
All of them know firsthand about the needs of all of our migrants.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of El Salvador and I give the floor to the representative of Slovakia, followed by Austria, then Latvia.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
At the outset, we align ourselves with a statement presented by Italy.
Slovakia withdrew from the adoption process of the UN Global Compact for safe, orderly, irregular migration in 2018.
Several reasons led us to that decision.
The draft document was not consistent with our national security and migration policy.
The compact did not adequately distinguish between irregular and irregular migration.
Several of the 23 objectives fall under exclusively national competence.
We believe that the compact could compromise national policy and security.
Today, as we have the declaration in front of us, our reservations persist and we cannot see the evolution of the text which would allow us to express our support.
For that reason, we have decided to dissociate ourselves from the consensus on the Progress Declaration.
I thank you.
I thank the Representative of Slovakia and I now give the floor to the representative of Austria.
Thank you, Madam President.
Austria very much appreciates the efforts and work that have gone into the elaboration of the Progress Declaration under the distinguished leadership of the permanent representatives of Kenya and Luxembourg.
As a sign of our strong commitment to multilateralism, we have decided to join consensus in adopting the Progress Declaration by this forum.
At the same time, we recall that as a non signatory of the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, Austria is not a party of it and Austria's principled position in this regard has not changed.
I thank you, Madam President.
I thank the representative of Austria and I now give the floor to the representative of Latvia, followed by Ukraine and Hungary.
Madam President, Latvia acknowledges that multilateral cooperation is indispensable for addressing global challenges in this area of migration.
One such challenge is the instrumentalization of migrants that is done for political and other purposes.
This has been acknowledged by several countries that took part in the negotiations of the Progress Declaration, as well as by the Human Rights Council.
Regrettably, these concerns were not reflected in the Declaration.
Furthermore, my delegation would like to recall that in 2018, following the decision of the Latvian Parliament, Latvia did not join the Global Compact.
Latvia does not apply the provisions of the compact and does not consider itself bound by the Progress Declaration adopted today.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Latvia and I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.
Madam President, Ukraine has joined consensus on the resolution on the adoption of the progress Declaration of the Second International Immigration Review Forum.
We thank the permanent representative of the Republic of Kenya and Luxembourg for the excellent facilitation of this intergovernmental process.
At the same time, Ukraine underlined the importance of sustained Sustaining international attention to the impact of armed conflict on migration process worldwide.
Forced displacement is increasingly driven by wars of aggression, ethics against civilians, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.
The factor have profound humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences for affected population and region.
Continue to experience these realities every day as a result of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
This war has caused one of the largest displacement crisis in Europe since the Second World War, forcing more than 5.8 million Ukrainians to seek temporary refugees abroad, while millions more have been internally displaced.
We strongly condemn the ongoing war egress of Russian Federation against Ukraine, which has significantly exacerbated global humanitarian and immigration challenges through attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and through the destruction of essential services, including housing, education, healthcare and energy system.
Ukraine stress that persons displaced by war and aggression must not be reduced to obstruct immigration statistics.
Behind every number are human lives, families separated from their homes, children deprived of normal childhood and communities struggling to preserve social cohesion under condition of insecurity.
In this context, we believe that Immigration governance framework should better reflect and address the specific consequences of armed conflict and forced displacement caused by violation of international law and the charter of the United Nations.
Ukraine remains committed to constructive international cooperation within the framework of Global Compact of Safe, Elderly, orderly and regular immigration, including through effort to strengthen community resilience and home support citizens wherever they are, and create condition for their return where circumstances allow.
Thank you.
I thank the representative of the Ukraine and I give the floor to the representative of Hungary, followed by Bulgaria, then Dibouti.
Thank you, Madam President, Excellency's distinguished delegates.
Whilst a vote has not been called on the proposed Progress Declaration of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum at today's meeting, we wish to take this opportunity to put on record our below reservations.
We recall that Hungary did not join the Global Compact for migration at its creation and does not participate in its implementation ever since.
Consistent with its position, Hungary disengaged from the negotiation process of the outcome document in its statement delivered during the first informal consultation on the text.
Furthermore, as parliamentary elections have recently been held in Hungary and we are still in the process of the formation of the new government for the time being and for the reasons mentioned above, we wish to further emphasize that today's decision on the document is in no way to be understood as the acceptance of any new commitment, legally binding or otherwise that may emanate from this text.
In this vein, Hungary does not regard this document as an appropriate reference point for any further negotiations in the future on the subject.
We would like to ask for the inclusion of this statement in the meeting records.
I thank you for your attention.
I thank the representative of Hungary and I now give the floor to the representative of Bulgaria.
Thank you, Chair.
We thank the co facilitators, Kenya and Luxembourg for their constructive approach.
Bulgaria values the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in light of it being the first intergovernmentally agreed, non legally binding framework for cooperation at the global level to better manage migration.
We are satisfied that the GCM, as a result of a transparent and inclusive negotiation process, reaffirms the sovereign right of states to determine their national migration policies and legislation and to decide whom to admit into their territories.
In line with its national position, which has remained unchanged to date, Bulgaria did not take part in the 2022 negotiation process on the IMRF Progress Declaration and did not take part in the recent negotiations either.
Since the adoption of the GCM, without being party to it, as an EU member state responsible for the protection of one of the busiest and most sensitive external borders, Bulgaria implements in practice most GCM elements and objectives.
We remain fully committed to continuing with the implementation of a comprehensive and balanced approach to migration, especially in its regional dimension, which we view as fully reflecting the need for a close and result oriented partnership and cooperation.
In light of the above, Bulgaria does not consider itself part of the consensus today.
I thank you.
I thank the representative of Bulgaria and I now give the floor to the representative of Dibouti, followed by Singapore, then Iraq.
Thank you so much, Madam President.
Madam President, distinguished delegates.
My delegation, Dibbouti is pleased to welcome the adoption of this progress declaration by consensus.
In addition to providing delegations with an opportunity to exchange views on progress made in migration governance, the declaration reaffirms our shared commitment and underscores the need to strengthen international cooperation in implementing the objectives of the Global Compact for Migration, GCM.
Continued assessment of progress on these matters will help strengthen support among member states and advance efforts to implement the Global Compact 360 degrees vision of migration governance within and across regions while exploring new forms of cooperation to address challenges facing individuals and communities in countries of origin, transit, and destinations.
Madam President, despite difficulties and obstacles that are always present, overall progress displayed globally seems quite encouraging.
At the end, we all agree that there is an urgent need for a strengthened international cooperation, predictable financing, and technical assistance to implement the GCM.
Fortunately, from the adopted Progress Declaration, member states recognize these challenges and remain committed to strengthening cooperation on migration while respecting state sovereignty and upholding human rights.
My delegation wishes to reiterate its commitment to effective collaboration and partnership to ensure that migration is safe, orderly, and regular.
We must redouble our efforts to solidly give the implementation of DCM a real change and leave no one behind.
This vein, we must also remain resolute in our commitment and continue our effort to make migration governance more credible, more efficient and effective on all crucial issues impacting the GCM implementation, particularly in Africa.
My delegation fully supports the consensus adoption of this resolution.
Please reflect our declaration in the verbatim record of this meeting.
Thank you for your attention.
I thank the representative of Dibouti and I now give the floor to the representative of Singapore, followed by Iraq, then Nigeria.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
At the outset, my delegation would like to thank the two core facilitators, the permanent representatives of Kenya and Luxembourg, for their constructive and diligent leadership of our process.
Singapore has consistently reaffirmed the right of migrants to cross borders safely through legal pathways without being exploited by traffickers and smugglers, and we will continue to participate constructively in these efforts.
We believe that every country has the sovereign right to determine the conditions under which migrants may enter, reside, and pick up employment in its territory in accordance with its national laws and international obligations.
We also believe that all states have the sovereign right to decide on whether and how to implement the operating principles and policy options listed under the objectives of the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Singapore welcomes several positive developments in this Progress Declaration.
In particular, we note with appreciation the explicit recognition in the Progress Declaration that the Global Compact presents a non legally binding cooperative framework and the acknowledgment that within their sovereign jurisdiction, states may distinguish between regular and irregular migration status, including as they determine their legislative and policy measures for the implementation of the Global Compact.
This language reflects Singapore's long standing position and it is an important contribution to ensuring that the Progress Declaration is read in its proper context.
At the same time, Singapore is not in a position to reaffirm the global compact in its entirety.
We accordingly reserve our position on paragraphs 2, four, and 43 of the Progress Declaration.
Singapore has nevertheless joined consensus on the Progress Declaration in the spirit of international cooperation and in recognition of the collective efforts that have gone into this process.
We remain committed to advancing safe, orderly, and regular migration in a manner that is consistent with Singapore's national laws, priorities, and circumstances, and we stand ready to engage constructively in future multilateral efforts in this area.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
I thank the Representative of Singapore, and I now give the floor to the representative of Iraq, followed by Nigeria, then Colombia.
Thank you, Madam President.
Iraq welcomes the adoption of the 2026 IMRF Progressive Declaration and expresses its support for the progress achieved through this process, particularly its emphasis on strengthening international cooperation, fostering inclusive dialogue, and upholding human dignity.
Iraq recognizes the importance of collaborative approaches in addressing shared challenges and advancing sustainable and balanced outcomes for all member states.
Iraq would like to place on record its position regarding certain elements of the declaration.
While supporting the overall framework, Iraq wishes to express its reservation concerning specific phrases contained in paragraphs 3, 25, 27, 38, 40, 46, 50, and 51.
Iraq disassociates itself from language in these paragraphs that does not align with its national framework and established positions and will interpret and implement the aforementioned terminology in full accordance with its national laws and regulations as well as its cultural and social values.
Thank you, Madam President.
I thank the representative of Iraq and I now give the floor to the representative of Nigeria, followed by Colombia, then the Holy.
Thank you, Madam President.
Nigeria joins the consensus on the adoption of this progress Declaration.
We acknowledge the efforts of the co facilitators and all delegations in bringing this process to a conclusion.
However, Nigeria remains deeply concerned that the declaration fall short in addressing one of the most pressing and evolving challenges in global migration governance, the increasing externalization of migration management to third countries.
While the text merely notes these practices, it does not adequately address their implications.
Externalization arrangements in many instances, shift responsibilities away from destination countries, place disproportionate burdens on countries of transit and origin, and raise serious concerns regarding the effective protection of human rights and dignity of migrants.
Nigeria wishes to underscore that the growing trend of externalization in migration governance raises important concerns in relation to the balanced implementation of Objective 21 of the Global Compact for migration, which calls for cooperation in facilitating safe, dignified, and rights based return and readmission consistent with due process and international law.
Nigeria believes that approaches to migration management should remain firmly grounded in shared responsibility, international cooperation, and respect for the rights and dignity of migrants.
While Nigeria had hoped to see stronger language on this issue and on other areas of concern reflected in the final text, we recognize the need for compromise in multilateral negotiations and appreciate the efforts made to accommodate differing perspectives throughout the process.
Despite these shortcomings, Nigeria remains committed to the global compact and continued constructive engagement with member states to ensure its full and balanced implementation.
I thank you, Madam President.
I thank the representative of Nigeria and I now give the floor to the representative of Colombia.
President Madam President, the Delegation of Colombia welcomes the adoption of the Progress Declaration of the Second Review forum on Indegration, and we are profoundly grateful for the work of the co facilitators, Kenya and Luxembourg and we're grateful also for the constructive spirit of all delegations during the process.
We consider that in adopting this declaration, we are reflecting the shared commitment to the effective implementation of the Global Compact for safe order and regular migration.
We wish to highlight the references to the protection of human rights of all migrants regardless of their migration status.
We also welcome the recognition of the role of diasporas and the positive contributions of migrants to countries of origin, transit, and destination.
Let this also be an opportunity for us to thank civil society for their valuable contributions.
Their knowledge and experience makes it possible to more comprehensively make visible the needs and priorities While we consider that it's important for the Declaration to recognize the growing challenges of bilateral agreements aimed at reducing irregular migration and to return irregular migrants to third countries, we would have preferred to have explicit statements about the risks that such agreements entail for human rights and about the lack of transparency and accountability in terms of many of the return agreements in this regard.
Colombia also wishes to highlight the need to consider through appropriate mechanisms the progress and challenges and efforts to put an end to the detention of child migrants in the context of international migration.
Also, one of the achievements of this declaration, we highlight the request to the Secretary-General to include in its next biennial report practical recommendations and an overview of alternatives to detention that are child sensitive in the context of international migration should protect and at all times respect the rights and best interests of the child.
We consider this is a major and meaningful step towards more humane migration policies that are fully aligned with international human rights obligations.
In our role as informal rapporteurs of children in the context of migration, we also recall that The attention of child and adolescent migrants never is respectful of their overriding best interests.
Child reunification should be strengthened.
No child should be denied access to basic services because of their migration status and processes for return and reintegration should adopt a child sensitive approaches.
Finally, we reiterate our commitment to cooperative humanitarian, human rights based approaches.
I thank you.
I thank the Representative of Colombia and I now give the floor to the representative of the Holy see.
Madam President, the Holy See welcomes today's adoption of the Progress Declaration of the Second International Migration Review Forum and thanks the permanent representatives of Kenya and Luxembourg, as well as their teams for their dedication throughout the process.
The consensual adoption of the Progress Declaration, which the Holy See had advocated from the outset of the negotiations demonstrates that the challenges and opportunities of migration unite us rather than divide us.
The way ahead rests on determination to fulfill the objectives and commitments contained in the Global compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration.
The Holyy welcomes the positive elements in this text, including, first, the recognition that all migrants, regardless of their migration status, are human rights holders and of the obligation to respect their human rights and fundamental freedom is overarching, in particular, the right to life, as in paragraph five and 19.
Second, regular pathways will be enhanced and diversified to facilitate, among others, family reunification and regularization, promoting the right to family life and unity and upholding the best interests of the child, as in paragraph 43.
Third, the importance of ensuring that all return and readmission fully respect the human rights of returnees, including due process, effective remedy, as well as the prohibition of collective expulsion, paragraph 48.
Fourth, the recognition of the role and contribution of the faith based organizations in the implementation of the Global Compact in paragraph 11.
At the same time, the Holy See would have hoped for stronger language on ending child immigration detention and a reference to religious discrimination.
In addition, the Holy See in conformity with its nature and particular mission is obliged to make the following reservations on the adopted text.
With regard to multiple intersecting forms of discrimination, Paragraph 38, the Holy Sir recognizes that the expression lacks a definition agreed between states, lending itself to an interpretation that reduces the human person to particular characteristics and categorize individuals according to criteria that are not universally acknowledged.
The Holy Sir affirms that everyone is entitled to human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of any kind as defined by Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Second, with reference to gender, all the references to gender, the Holy See understands the term to be grounded in biological sexual identity, and difference, male and female.
Finally, the Holy see asks that these remarks be reflected in the record of this meeting of the forum.
I thank you, Madam President.
I thank the representative of the Holy See and I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.
Thank you, Madam President.
Indonesia welcomes the adoption of the Progress Declaration and commends the extensive engagement as well as evo made throughout this process, facilitated by Kenya and Luxembourg.
The discussion has reminded us that migration is experienced differently by each member state.
These different realities shape our national perspective, priorities, and approaches to migration governance.
At the same time, we also underlined the importance of maintaining dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding.
Indonesia support the Progress Declaration in its entirety.
We believe it provides an important basis to continue advancing safe, orderly, and regular migration, while keeping the rights, dignity, and well being of migrants at the center of our effort.
And then also reaffirmed the importance of the full implementation of the Global compact in its entirety in line with its comprehensive and balanced vision of migration governance.
Moving forward, Indonesia call for stronger se commitments among countries of origin, transit, and destination.
While our realities and responsibilities may differ, migration can only be governed effectively through cooperation and practical partnership.
Indonesia, therefore, hope that member states can preserve the spirit of cooperation that has guide this process.
I thank you Madam President.
I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia.
I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Malaysia, followed by Greece and Turkea.
Thank you, Madam President.
At the outset, Malaysia expresses its sincere appreciation to the co facilitators in producing the text presented this afternoon.
We reaffirmed the importance we attach to addressing discrimination, racism, violence, xenophobia, and related intolerance, which are among the key issues reflected in the text.
While the text or the progress recreation does not fully reflect national position of every state, it is a carefully negotiated and compromised text that takes into account wide range of views by member states.
In this period, Malaysia has decided to join consensus on the text, We value the advancement of a shared understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and emerging issues in the implementation of the Global Compact.
Malaysia wishes to make clear that the recommended actions contained in the Declaration designed to accelerate implementation and strengthen international cooperation on migration are advisory and non binding in nature.
Each member state retains a sovereign right to implement these actions in accordance with its own national circumstances, legal frameworks, institutional capacities, and available resources.
Malaysia further underscores the importance of addressing the root causes of irregular migration, including poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and social instability in countries of origin.
Malaysia calls for greater international commitment to fostering sustainable development in these countries as a fundamental element of any comprehensive migration strategy.
With regard to the reference to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in Paragraph 38, Malaysia's interpretation of the C term will be based on its national laws, values, and customs and does not include any concepts that are inconsistent with the existing international human rights architecture.
I thank you.
I thank the distinguished representative of Malaysia.
You can applaud if you want to.
I have two more speakers on the list so far.
If further delegations would like to take the floor, I would like to ask you to press the button now and then I would close the list of speakers.
Next speaker on the list, Greece, followed by Turkey.
Thank you, Madam President.
Greece would like to thank the UN Network on Migration, the Office of the President of the General Assembly, as well as the co facilitators, Kenya and Luxembourg for their transparent and inclusive way of negotiations.
Had that being said, Greece would like to note that had the vote been called, Greece would have abstained.
I thank you.
I thank the Distinguish representative of Greece.
I now give the floor to the Distinguish representative of Turkey.
We haven't received any further request for the floor, so Turka would be the last speaker.
Thank you, Madam President.
Turkey joined the consensus on the Progress Declaration and welcomes its overall balanced and constructive approach.
At the same time, we believe that the text could have reflected more strongly concerns regarding externalization and responsibility shifting, as well as fair burden sharing as an effective approach to tackle migration issues.
Turkey remains committed to advancing a human rights based and cooperative approach to migration governance in line with the objectives of the Global Compact for migration.
By reiterating this understanding, we look forward to the continuation of a constructive and solution oriented approach with the guidance of the Secretary-General.
Thank you very much.
I thank the distinguish representative of Turkea.
We have heard the last speaker in the explanations of vote after the vote.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency Eratus Lukale, permanent representative of Kenya to the United Nations and His Excellency Olivier Mas, permanent representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations, who ably and patiently conducted these not so easy discussions and complex negotiation in the informal consultation on the draft resolution.
Allow me also to thank the Director General of IOM, miss Amy Pope, as coordinator of the UN Network of Migration and her team for their substantive support during the last days, but also in the weeks and months before and I'm sure members of the forum join me in extending to them our sincere appreciation.
This concludes the consideration of agenda item five.
Before proceeding to the conclusion of the forum, may I take it that the forum authorizes the chair to prepare the report of the forum assisted by the Secretariat in conformity with the practice of the United Nations? I hear no objection.
It is so decided.
Last but not least, I will now make a closing statement as a chair of the forum.
Excellencies, as we bring this forum to close, allow me to thank also all of you, member states, observers, migrant communities, civil society groups, international organizations, and stakeholders, many still thinking at the balcony who have contributed to the success of the second International Migration Review Forum.
We have met, as many of you have mentioned, at a difficult time.
Yet this forum has shown that even in turbulent times, the spirit of cooperation remains strong.
I would like to commend member states, including many ministers coming here in person for not shying away because of the challenges, for not waiting for the last person to move, but instead for moving forward themselves, knowing that migration like other multifacted and multi laters topics such as climate or AI can only be managed if we join forces internationally, can only be managed at the United Nations where all member states have a seat at the table, no matter how big or small, whether they are country of origin, a country of destination, or a country of transit.
So this forum was not only a step forward and the next step in managing migration for the people and in the interest of every country, but it also helped to underline the need and the strengths for multilateralism in these challenging times.
Over the past days, we have heard clear evidence of the work already underway in implementing the Global Compact for migration.
We have heard in total from 90 countries presenting voluntary reviews exceeding the number in 2022.
We have heard reflections on how the capacity building mechanism is being employed to mobilize the UN system through the network on migration to deliver short term targeted support.
Over 50 UN country teams have benefited from this support, enabling the development of eight national GCM implementation plans.
I commend the 23 donors to the MMPTF and the member states who have announced new voluntary pledges to the fund.
These new pledges will bring the total capitalization level over $70 million and will enable the financing of technical assistance to migrants, but also to member states in addition to the 29 joint programs already funded across 40 countries.
These discussions, but also these new commitments remind us that migration governance cannot be built through isolation.
Therefore, the big applause for the co facilitators and the IOM, I think was really worth it.
Thank you all again.
Excellency, to sum up, our goal at this forum, as the Secretary-General said it at the opening, has been and I quote the Secretary-General, to show that multilateral cooperation produces results at the borders, as well as within communities, in schools, as well as in labor markets, in consulates, as well as in courts.
Above all, in the life of migrants and their societies, they strengthened, end of quote.
The urgency is clear.
We are only four years away from 2030 when the world will assess progress on the sustainable development goals.
Migration is linked to at least 11 of these goals and progress on the Compact is essential to achieving the SDG goals by 2030.
Let us therefore build on the momentum of this forum.
Let us renew our commitment to implementation and let us collectively and decisively for migration governance that is safer, more orderly, more regular, and more human, knowing that we are always better together.
And by this, the second International Migration reform is now concluded.
The meeting is adjourned.
I wish you all a good weekend.
Thank you, safe travel home.