Panama signs the global pact on migration

Panama joined the UN Global Pact for Migration, which seeks to ensure safe, orderly and humanitarian migration

"We adopted a non-binding document that opens a multilateral dialogue necessary to face the challenges of migration, respecting the sovereignty of countries, their migratory policies and the humane treatment of migrants," said President Juan Carlos Varela. This was President Varela’s first visit to an African country.

At the event, the president stressed that Panama is a small country with great responsibilities.

"Our geographical position makes us a transit country, so our participation in this conference is important and responsible," he said.

The governor pointed out that in order to guarantee that migratory flows are orderly and safe, it is necessary to share information between countries, to prevent the entry of those that represent a risk to the security of the States.

"In Panama, the Controlled Flow operation allows the management of migratory crises of Haitian and Cuban citizens and the flow of extra-continental migrants, in a responsible, safe and orderly manner, guaranteeing the security of the territories and the dignified treatment of the migrant," he said. .

Despite strong opposition from the United States and some other countries, almost 85% of the members of the United Nations agreed to the non-binding pact on Monday.

The debate around the Global Pact on Migration , the first of its kind, has proved to be a crucial test for UN-led efforts to stop dangerous and illegal movements across borders.

"Unregulated migration has a terrible human cost: lives lost in dangerous crossings of deserts, oceans and rivers, a cost in lives ruined by smugglers, unscrupulous employers and other predators," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the conference in Morocco.

"More than 60,000 migrants have died in displacements since 2000," he said. "This is a source of collective shame," he added.