The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) expressed its support today for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, with 152 votes in favor (including Mexico), 5 against and 12 abstentions for the resolution endorsing the compact that was presented by UNGA President María Fernanda Espinosa.
The Global Compact for Migration (GCM) is the result of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants that was adopted during the UNGA 71st Session high-level meeting on large movements of refugees and migrants. The GCM was adopted by 164 UN Member States on December 10 at an Intergovernmental Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco attended by Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard.
The GCM is the first international agreement that provides a 360-degree view of migration, changes the way in which we perceive migration, and recognizes the benefits and contributions of migrants to the development of their countries of origin, as well as countries of transit and destination. The Compact's guiding principles include respect for the human rights of all migrants regardless of their immigration status; a gender-responsive approach; the principle of shared responsibility; respect for the sovereignty of States; and the protection of vulnerable groups.
The process of negotiating the GCM was co-facilitated by the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations of Switzerland and Mexico, Amb. Jürg Lauber and Amb. Juan José Gómez Camacho. From the very beginning, Mexico has played an active, committed role in developing and adopting the Global Compact on Migration. Today, we applaud the endorsement of the General Assembly and reaffirm our commitment to working at the national and international levels to achieve its 23 objectives.