Leaders from 193 countries have adopted a declaration to save lives of over 65 million refugees and migrants and share the responsibility. The ‘New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants’ was adopted last night at United Nations General Assembly’s first-ever summit on the crisis. The declaration is not legally binding but calls on countries to protect refugees’ human rights, boost humanitarian aid and work on their resettlement.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, the summit represents a breakthrough in the collective efforts to address the challenges of human mobility.
UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson said, he will take forward the commitment of the membership to begin a process leading to a global compact on migration as well as to support a global compact on refugees.
In his address at the summit, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar said, terrorism is the principle cause of large-scale refugee movement and hypocrisy towards the menace is unacceptable. He said, the international community has to address issues like terrorism, prevent armed conflict and facilitate development which will ensure that people are not forced to flee their homeland. Mr Akbar voiced India’s commitment to working with all partners beginning next year in developing a global compact to ensuring a safe and orderly migration that is in the interest of all people.