Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We congratulate Turkey for ably steering the Budapest Process, from its preparatory phase to this Ministerial meeting.
We extend special thanks to the Government and people of Turkey for extending us a very warm welcome in this beautiful and historic city of Istanbul.
I also take this opportunity to applaud ICMPD for making excellent arrangements for this meeting.
Mr. Chairman,
Pakistan appreciates the importance and utility of the Budapest Process. It has and continues to serve as a forum to promote dialogue, understanding and cooperation on various dimensions of migration.
International migration continues to receive, and rightly so, increasing attention at the regional and global levels.
Since the last Ministerial Conference held in 2013, several important developments have taken place.
The historic 2030 Agenda has reinforced the positive linkage between migration and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Most recently, with the adoption of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), the international community has agreed to pursue a comprehensive and balanced approach to promote cooperation and shared responsibility in the area of migration.
The common commitments enshrined in the Global Compact reaffirm international migration as an engine of socio-economic development.
Pakistan is of the view that mutually beneficial cooperation on migration requires closer collaboration and common understanding among countries of origin, transit and destination.
Mr. Chairman,
We agree with the UN Secretary General when he said during the Marrakesh Conference on GCM, contrary to popular myths, most migratory movements are taking place among and between developing countries- from South to South, not from South to North.
Yet, given the varied dynamics involved, no one state can address migration either on its own or in isolation. Hence, the need for dialogue and cooperation among and between states, businesses, organizations and other stakeholders.
At the centre of this conversation should be evidence, data and facts. This is the only sustainable way forward in dealing with migration especially when the dictates of demographics and economics require evidence-based public policy approaches to migration.
Mr. Chairman,
In many ways, addressing irregular migration and expanding pathways for legal migration are mutually reinforcing. It is important to assess the impact of restrictive visa regime and stringent border controls on the entire cycle of migration. Similarly, migrants must be spared the brunt of incendiary rhetoric scapegoating them for narrow political gains.
We look forward to engaging actively on the prospects, opportunities and pathways for regular migration to facilitate labour mobility and decent work, optimizing education opportunities, upholding the right to family life, and responding to the needs of migrants in a situation of vulnerability.
While States retain the sovereign right to strengthen their border security, this right should be consistent with international law.
Migrants, regardless of their migration status, are entitled to the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, which must be respected, protected and fulfilled across all stages of the migration cycle.
The tendencies of xenophobia, racial profiling and Islamophobia in the countries of destination against migrants need to be countered. All States must foster inclusive and cohesive societies by empowering migrants to become active members of society.
This Conference is, therefore, a welcome opportunity to collectively reflect on how the Budapest Process can contribute towards the comprehensive implementation of the GCM and migration-related SDGs.
Mr. Chairman,
Not just a country of origin, Pakistan is also a destination country of migrants. We continue to host, on an average, more than a million irregular migrants from neighbouring countries and the region for over four decades. Their numbers, time and status notwithstanding, this category of migrants have enjoyed social mobility, employment opportunities and access to health and education.
Despite strains on economy and society arising from the presence of a large foreign population, not a single political party or group has ever resorted to xenophobic rhetoric or populist sloganeering.
We are one of the largest countries of origin of international migrants. Our diaspora constitutes not only a major source of national development but also for their host countries.
In terms of migration governance, we are cognizant of the multidimensional character of migration. Accordingly, we are pursuing a whole-of-government approach- developing effective migration policies and implementing them through legislative and administrative actions.
We are deploying additional human resources inside the country as well as at our diplomatic posts to address issues related to migration in all aspects.
Mr. Chairman,
It is our sincere hope that the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration would generate fresh political momentum for more concrete cooperation among the member countries.
We view the six priority goals of the Istanbul Declaration as interconnected and mutually reinforcing. A balanced approach in pursuing future work on these goals would be essential.
In the past, Budapest Process’s work has remained more focused on enhancing cooperation among member countries in the sphere of law enforcement.
While important in its own way, law enforcement cooperation should be complemented by concerted and enhanced efforts to address underlying drivers of irregular movement of people.
We attach high importance to scaling up legal migration channels and to promote integration of migrants in host communities.
We are hopeful that follow up of the Istanbul Declaration leads to projects and programmes that are responsive to our national priorities and help regional efforts to promote regular migration while addressing irregular flow of people.
Going forward, it would be worthwhile to establish working groups under each priority goal to follow-up on their implementation, without prioritizing one area over the other.
Ultimately, political will, a comprehensive and constructive approach to migration would be essential to create even more opportunities for mutual cooperation and partnerships.
We look forward to a constructive and mutually beneficial engagement with the Process.
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