(As delivered)

Statement by H. E. Mr. Hiroshi Minami
Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
On Agenda item 131:
“Global Awareness of the Tragedies of Irregular Migrants in the
Mediterranean Basin with Specific Emphasis on Syrian Asylum Seekers”
General Assembly Plenary Meeting
7 April 2017

 

 

Mr. President,

 

          Let me begin by thanking you for convening this meeting. I would also like to thank the Chef de Cabinet, the Representative of IOM and the Assistant High Commissioner for their statements.The number of irregular migrants in the Mediterranean basin, moving from east to west and from south to north, remains high. Such journeys are perilous, and many migrants meet a tragic demise before reaching their destination. We therefore feel it is meaningful to have a discussion under this agenda item in this 71st session of the General Assembly.

 

          According to the statistics by the UNHCR, those who are fleeing the conflict in Syria comprise the largest individual group of sea arrivals in the Mediterranean basin. Together those from Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Iraq comprise the majority of all sea arrivals in the region. In light of situations surrounding these countries, it is clear that conflict is among the most serious of root causes of forced migration.

 

          From a global perspective, the wave of international migration is also swelling outside the Mediterranean basin. Whether in Africa or Asia, people are fleeing conflict and violence. In the absence of a solution to such conflict and violence, people will continue to migrate irregularly. We must always bear in mind that those who cross the treacherous sea are not risking their lives for fun. They are obliged to take on such a dire risk in order to escape even greater and more immediate threats behind them.

 

Mr. President,

 

          Alongside any steps we take to solve the root causes of forced migration, we must also make every effort to alleviate the suffering and risks of vulnerable migrants who are forced to flee their homelands. States should comply with their obligations under the Principle of Non-Refoulement and the Convention on the Status of Refugees. We should also provide humanitarian assistance to those who suffer from unwilling displacement. Development cooperation to communities hosting refugees is also crucial.

 

          Last year, Japan committed to provide an assistance package of about 2.8 billion US dollars between 2016 and 2018 as humanitarian and self-reliance assistance to refugees and migrants, as well as assistance to host countries and communities. During the first quarter of this year alone, Japan has provided 500 million US dollar to various humanitarian and development agencies as part of this commitment, and we will continue to steadily implement our promises.

 

Mr. President,

 

          One year after we held a meeting of the General Assembly under this agenda item, the international framework to address large-scale movements of people has developed drastically. Based on the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants, which the Member States adopted on the 19th of September last year, the processes towards adopting the Global Compact on Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees are on-going. These two global compacts will serve as a test of whether the United Nation can effectively address irregular migration on a global scale. Therefore, our support to these processes until the adoption of both global compacts next year is critical. Japan is ready to contribute to this process by constructively participating in the discussion on the global compacts, as well as supporting the implementation of the Comprehensive Refugees Response Framework through funding case study projects.

 

Mr. President,

 

          Before concluding, I would like to add a few words on internally displaced persons (IDPs). Cross-border movements of people attract the attention of the international community, but in fact, there are many more IDPs who flee from conflicts and violence and yet remain within the borders of their home countries. We must not forget them while discussing the plight of forced displacement. The international community as a whole must put forth every effort in a coordinated manner so that every person who is forced to leave his or her home, regardless of whether they become international refugees, other vulnerable migrants, or IDPs, can enjoy sufficient protections to begin their new lives with dignity.     

 

Thank you, Mr. President.