Global Compact on Migration: Holy See focused on Peace, Development, Integration

little girl smiling icmc Migrants and Refugees

Global Compact on Migration: Holy See focused on Peace, Development, Integration

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin gives two speeches at a two day intergovernmental Conference on Migration taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. More than 160 countries on Monday 10 December agreed on a nonbinding U.N. migration accord that seeks to ensure the safe, orderly and humane movement of people around the world. The Holy See and High-level government delegates have given their backing to the U.N.’s Global Compact for Migration.

Speaking at the intergovernmental conference taking place in Marrakesh, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin gave two speeches, saying “the adoption of the Global Compact on Migration comes at a critical moment in history.” Addressing the General Debate of the meeting, the Cardinal pointed out that this Compact on Migration “attempts to assist the international community to prevent crises and tragedies. At the same time, it also seeks to improve the governance of migration, which is bound to increase as the international community grows more economically, socially and politically interconnected.” “To achieve these goals”, he added, “the Global Compact for Migration, although not legally binding, includes a comprehensive framework of best practices and policy instruments to increase international cooperation and sharing of responsibility in the governance of migration in all of its dimensions.”

Cardinal Parolin noted that “The Holy See has already launched the process to find the most effective ways with which institutions of the Catholic Church and Catholic-inspired organizations throughout the world can make use of the Global Compact’s compendium of best practices and recommendations that exemplify welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants.”

In his second speech of the day, dedicated to promoting action on the commitments of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the Cardinal said, the Holy See wanted to focus particularly on two of those commitments: the first was peace and development, the second commitment was to integration. “Those on the move”, the Cardinal underlined, “must be welcomed and treated with dignity, even if it is determined later that they must be safely returned to their country of origin.” Cardinal Parolin stressed that, “these two objectives require an urgent response on the part of the international community. As migrations, even mass migrations, are very likely to continue in the coming years”, he continued, “we consider it necessary to widen the regular and sure channels of emigration through generous and responsible policies, inspired by solidarity and co-responsibility.”

 

First Dialogue: Promoting Action On The Commitments Of The GCM
by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, 10 december 2018

General Debate Of The Intergovernmental Conference To Adopt The Global Compact For Migration
by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, 10 december 2018