IOM Council Session in Geneva: Italy, no country could deal with migrations alone

GENEVA, DECEMBER 1 – “No Member State alone can manage migration, and no country should be left alone to deal with its consequences”, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, said today during the Council Session of IOM, at the presence of its Director General, Antonio Vitorino.

Ambassador Cornado recalled how the humanitarian situation around the world has further deteriorated due to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine, which has created further instability on global food security, post pandemic economic recovery, and it exacerbated existing vulnerabilities that contribute to pushing people to migrate. He also expressed full support for IOM’s work in addressing migration challenges in countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as in supporting governments to manage migration in a safer, orderly, regular and sustainable manner.

Reiterating that “no Member State alone can manage migration”, the Italian Ambassador emphasized the need for greater international cooperation to ease the burden of this phenomenon. In this regard, he pointed out how Italy has further strengthened its partnership with IOM, “becoming its seventh global donor in 2021”, providing funds to programs that address the root causes of migration, for assisted voluntary returns, as well as for reintegration projects. In the context of promoting regular migration flows and on the prevention of irregular movements across the central Mediterranean route, Ambassador Cornado stressed Italy’s commitment to saving lives at sea and countering criminal networks and human traffickers. (@OnuItalia)