A/76/PV.76 General Assembly

The Assembly will now take action on draft decision A/76/L.61, entitled “Participation of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector in the high-level meeting on improving global road safety”. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt draft decision A/76/L.61?

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 13.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/76/L.58, entitled “Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum”. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/76/L.58?

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Her Excellency Ms. Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, and His Excellency Mr. Olivier Maes, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations, who ably and patiently conducted the discussions and complex negotiations in the informal consultations on resolution 76/266. I am sure that members of the Assembly join me in extending our sincere appreciation to them. I also wish to thank the experts of those two missions, Ms. Julie Oppermann and Mr. Nirupam Dev Nath, for their work and contributions. Before giving the floor for explanations of position after adoption, may I remind delegations that explanations are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

As a country that abstained in the voting on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, Austria would like to recall, as stated on 20 May and here again for the record, that by not objecting to the adoption of the Progress Declaration, Austria’s general position on the Global Compact has not changed.

Hungary wishes to recall the statement made by our delegation on 20 May at the adoption of the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum. In that regard, I would like to reiterate that Hungary disassociates itself from the full text of the Progress Declaration and does not take part in the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration.

Singapore affirms the right of migrants to travel safely through legal pathways without being exploited by traffickers and smugglers. We will continue to participate constructively in those efforts. We believe that every country has a sovereign right to determine the conditions under which migrants may enter, reside in and take up employment in their territories, in accordance with national laws and international obligations. We also believe that all States have a sovereign right to decide whether and how to implement the operating principles and policy options listed under the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Singapore’s view is that, while the Progress Declaration is a commendable effort, it does not achieve the balance necessary to satisfy our concerns. We are therefore not in a position to reaffirm the Compact in its entirety and reserve our position on paragraphs 2 and 59 of the Progress Declaration. We nevertheless joined the consensus on resolution 76/266, in the spirit of international cooperation. For the full details of our position on this matter, I refer the Assembly to the explanation of position delivered at the adoption of the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum.

Allow me to refer to the statement we delivered following the adoption of the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum. In that regard, I wish to reaffirm Bulgaria’s position on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the International Migration Review Forum, recalling that my country does not consider them or their review outcomes to be binding.

Consistent with Ethiopia’s objection during the consideration of the Progress Declaration and our recorded vote at the closing meeting of the International Migration Review Forum, our country rejects paragraph 12 of the Declaration, which attempts to establish an unfounded nexus between migration and water scarcity. We underscore that the Progress Declaration is not a consensus document. Ethiopia’s intention remains to preserve the carefully negotiated document of the Global Compact for Migration. Paragraph 12 of the Progress Declaration amounts to amending the language of the Global Compact. Distorting the agreed formulation of the Global Compact undermines its status. For that reason, irrespective of the non-binding status of the Progress Declaration, Ethiopia disassociates itself from paragraph 12. Ethiopia will not accept that paragraph as a basis for discussions or negotiations in any future deliberations. We request that this statement and those made during the consideration of the Progress Declaration on 20 May to be included in the official records of this meeting.

The Polish Government does not support the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. As a consequence, Poland disengaged from the International Migration Review Forum, the aim of which was to review the implementation of the Global Compact. For that reason, Poland disassociates itself from the Progress Declaration adopted at the Forum. Members can further refer to Poland’s explanation of position delivered at the closing segment of the Forum on 20 May.

My delegation would like to recall that Latvia has not joined the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Our country does not consider itself bound by the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum, as explained in the statement we delivered following its adoption at the Forum.

With regard to resolution 76/266, the Czech Republic wishes to refer to its explanation of position delivered at the adoption of the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum on 20 May.

My country’s delegation would like to refer to its non-objection to the adoption by consensus of resolution 76/266, on the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum at its first session. That non-objection does not mean that our position has changed regarding resolution 73/195, on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. My delegation did not vote in favour of that resolution for the reasons explained at the General Assembly meeting held on 19 December 2018 (see A/73/PV.61). Given that the same reasons still prevail, my country’s delegation therefore disassociates itself from the Progress Declaration and requests the Secretariat to include this statement in the official record of the meeting.

My delegation reiterated its position regarding the Progress Declaration of the International Migration Review Forum during the meeting convened on 20 May. We would like to underscore those observations as previously stated.

We have heard from the last speaker in explanation of position after adoption. The endorsement of the Progress Declaration by the General Assembly is a landmark decision that reaffirms the Global Compact as the only comprehensive and sufficiently ambitious framework for international migration governance. It is designed to holistically improve the well-being of both migrants and host communities as yet another indication of the collective will and intention of the international community to tackle the challenges around migration. The Declaration is the result of an inclusive, open and transparent process, which included extensive consultations with Member States, relevant stakeholders and United Nations entities. I thank everyone for their dedication and contribution to the process. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda items 15 and 119.