Marrakesh Compact on Migration, a major contribution to meeting migration challenges
The Marrakesh Compact on Migration adopted in 2018 represents a major contribution to multilateralism to meet the challenges and exploit the opportunities of international migration and human mobility, through a global and cooperative approach.
The remarks were made by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in a speech delivered on behalf of the champion countries of the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, within the framework of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of the UN Economic and Social Council.
Bourita noted that since the adoption of this Compact in December 2018, the UN Secretary-General has taken important steps, through the creation of the UN Network on Migration, to strengthen support from the entire UN system to States and all stakeholders concerned with the continuation of the implementation of the Marrakesh Compact.
The Moroccan top diplomat explained that the Compact Champion Countries Initiative represents an open informal group of states committed to the effective implementation of the said compact, respecting its vision and guiding principles for the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Supported by the UN Migration Network, the champion countries endeavor to achieve the objectives of the Global Compact through leadership, exchange and collaboration between peers, guided by the realities and priorities of each country, Bourita recalled, while calling on other States to join this collective initiative to broaden the platform of champions representing all the migratory realities reflected in the compact.
“Actually, we have the opportunity at this High-Level Political Forum to discuss the objectives of the Compact that we must accelerate to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring an inclusive and resilient recovery after the pandemic, while leaving no one behind,” pleaded Bourita.
He added that this Forum also provides an ideal occasion to reflect on how to create synergies between these various global review processes and ensure that migrants are truly included.
The Moroccan official stressed that the positive contributions of migrants and migration to advance inclusive growth and sustainable development, as well as cooperation to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration are key elements of the Marrakesh Compact. This instrument, based on international law, calls for full respect for human rights and humane treatment of migrants regardless of their migration status and is firmly attached to the 2030 Agenda, he insisted.
The Minister also considered that while significant progress has been made to date, more efforts are needed to step up both the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, throughout the Decade of action.
“The positive effects of migration must be harnessed to advance progress towards the SDGs, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which shows both the important contribution of migrants to our societies and acute situations of vulnerability that many of them face,” he noted.
