At the United Nations (UN), Pakistan welcomed agreement on a Global Compact that sets out a framework to protect migrants, saying this marked a historic moment and triumph of multilateralism. Speaking in the final session of Intergovernmental negotiations on a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi described this as a balanced document that addressed issues of concern to countries of origin, transit and destination.
The UN General Assembly has agreed on this all-encompassing global compact to better manage the international flow of migrants and protect human rights. Known as the Global Compact for Migration - it will be formally adopted by world leaders in Morocco in December.
The Pakistani envoy pointed out that "The hard work begins now", and referred to the translation in practice of the legal obligations enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Human Rights Law, political commitments embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals and the New York Declaration, and now the pledges to all migrants.
"We must now agree and undertake our shared responsibility for the protection and realization of the rights of all migrants, to fully realize the immense potential and to harness the benefits of regular migration", Ambassador Lodhi commented.
Agreeing with Secretary General Antonio Guterres that "Migrants are a remarkable engine of growth and migration as well as a positive developmental phenomenon", she said there was a strong nexus between migration and development.
To optimize the benefits of migration and to mitigate the risks posed by anti-immigrant narratives in some countries, Ambassador Lodhi said a comprehensive approach through the GCM is critical. "Our success rests on mutual trust, determination and solidarity to fulfil the 23 objectives and commitments contained in the GCM", she emphasized.
While stressing that the Compact is non-binding, she said it will nonetheless set out a framework of principles and practices that can facilitate safe, orderly, and regular migration and would thus have a profound impact on how we think about migration and treat migrants.
Ambassador Lodhi also said effective implementation of the GCM can only be through regional and national actions that include detailed action plans and reviews of current legislation. "State-led interventions are critical as only states have the authority to enact national legislation that impacts the legal rights of migrants in each territory", she added. "We look forward to the formal adoption of the Global Compact in December this year, and on working on its implementation as we take this process forward to the next more critical stage", she concluded.