MaltaMedia.com

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday 4th November, called on governments and international organisations to enhance their cooperation in dealing with challenges concerning global migration. In an address before the Third Global Forum on Migration and Development that took place in Athens on the 4th and 5th November, the U.N. leader said that migration was a modern challenge that cannot be addressed unilaterally.

The ongoing financial crisis, climate change and human trafficking are the three main challenges that “add to the urgency for action” in the issue of migration, the U.N. Secretary-General said. He added that in times of financial crisis, migrants usually face a higher possibility of unemployment. The number of migrants may also increase in the future because of climate change. Ban Ki-moon also stressed the protection of women and children who are always the most vulnerable victims of smugglers and sex exploitation. “One of the most beautiful words in the Greek lexicon is philoxenia – friendship towards strangers. Let us take the inspiration and work together to make it a global reality”.

Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister George Papandreou and other high level Greek officials also attended the meeting. More than 250 representatives from 130 governments from all regions of the world together with representatives of international organisations exchanged views on issues related to migration and development. The Forum was preceded by Civil Society 2-Day meeting which provided a platform for discussion among representatives of Civil Society, representatives of NGOs, migrant associations, diaspora organisations, and representatives of trade unions and of the private sector that are associated with or interested in migration issues.

At the Forum, Malta was represented by its Ambassador to Greece, Dr Richard Vella Laurenti, and Ms Deborah Attard Montalto, senior policy officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Forum is an informal, state-led consultative process that enables governments to exchange ideas, experiences and good practices on migration and development issues in an informal and non-binding way. Its recommendations focus on how migration and development can be better linked for the benefit of all. In fact, the overall theme of the 3rd Global Forum meeting in Athens was “Integrating Migration Policies into Development Strategies for the Benefit of All”.