Opening remarks by H.E. Mr Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th session of the General Assembly, at briefing on the report from the UN Secretary-General setting out recommendations on ways to address large movements of refugees and migrants
3 May 2016
Excellencies, Special Adviser of the Secretary General, Ms Karen AbuZayd, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
We will shorty here a briefing from Ms Abuzayd on the Secretary-General’s report on large movements of refugees and migrants.
I thank her and her team for such a comprehensive report.
This report contains important recommendations for the consideration of Member States during the preparations for the 19 September High Level meeting of the General Assembly.
As you know, those preparations are being led by the Permanent Representatives of Jordan and Ireland who I appointed as co-facilitators in February.
I am pleased to see that they are making excellent progress and I thank them for their work thus far.
Excellencies, the topic addressed in this report is in many ways quite complex.
But regardless of the complexity, we must never lose sight of one basic principle: that all people – refugee, migrant, IDP, asylum seeker – must be treated with respect, with humanity and with due consideration of their human rights.
Where our systems fail to guarantee this most basic of principles, then they must be analysed and strengthened.
This is the context in which member states will prepare for the Summit in September and I have no doubt that you will give this process your fullest attention in the weeks and months ahead.
In the end, I hope that your work will help us meet the expectations that are growing around the Summit.
And that, together with the World Humanitarian Summit next Month, we will take decisions that will deliver tangible benefits for refugees and migrants around the world.
Thank you.