133rd IPU Assembly

Geneva,17-21 October 2015

General Debate

The moral and economic imperative for fairer, smarter

and more humane migration

Valeriu-Andrei STERIU

Deputy

Romanian IPU Group

Mr. President/Madam President,

Distinguished colleagues,

Migration has been and will definitely continue to be one of the major topics on the international agenda, due to its increasing magnitude and complexity, and to its humanitarian, economic, social and political consequences, many of them unforseable.

We are facing an unprecedented global challenge and we need a fundamental reframing of our approach, in order to identify and implement the most appropriate policies and instruments to be put in place in the countries of origin, transit and destination.

Europe too is confronted with a growing wave of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. Since the beginning of 2015, according to official data, over half a million of people, most of them from Syria and Afghanistan, have entered the EU territory, too often by risky means. Many others died during these attempts.

My country is part of the European response to this unfolding crisis and will continue to act along the principles of solidarity and responsibility. Our efforts are currently focused on measures at national level to ensure the necessary facilities for reception, accommodation and protection of the asylum-seekers who will be relocated to Romania, according to the EU resettlement plan.

In a longer term, in order to be effective, we need mechanisms and policies based on a solid impact analysis with respect to the humanitarian aspects, to education and health systems, to social protection, and labour market, with due regard to the special needs of vulnerable groups, especially women and children. The role of Parliament is key, as all these fields need adaptations and require revisions of the national legislation and budgetary allocations.

At international level, Romania already had an active and substantial contribution in the management of migration challenges. We have responded positively to the appeals launched by UN and other international actors, by providing assistance, starting with 2012, to the people of Syria and the Syrian refugees in neighboring countries.

Our national contribution to the World Food Programme will increase significantly in the next three years, in support to refugee camps situated in proximity of crisis areas, in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.

At bilateral level too, we recently provided emergency humanitarian aid to Jordan and Serbia.

I should add that since 2008, Romania has participated to one of the most innovative formulas for the protection of refugees, by hosting the first Emergency Transit Centre for Refugees in Timişoara, based on an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration.

Ladies and gentlemen,

A fairer, smarter and more humane approach of migration is a cohesive, global approach, based on solidarity with the migrants whose fundamental rights were abused and violated, with those trying to escape extreme poverty and conflicts, as well as with the countries under extreme migratory pressure.  

It requires common responsibility and joint actions to tackle the migration challenge at its core. Alongside national efforts, all international actors should get more involved in long term initiatives going to the root causes of migration in countries of origin.

Treating symptoms is not enough. We have to fight poverty and social exclusion, instability and terrorism; we have to bring peace in conflict-torn societies, develop sustainable economic structures, promote democratic transformations.

The role of the United Nations must be therefore strengthened. A reform the Official Development Assistance, so as to better address migration challenges, can be part of the solution.

Ultimately, a fairer, smarter and more humane approach of migration means translating into practice the commitment of „leaving no one behind”, the key-feature and guiding principle of the post-2015 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Thank you very much for your attention.