Statement by Mr. Roman Kashaev, representative of the Russian Federation, on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
The Russian Federation supports the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
This compromise document covers many dimensions of international migration, including humanitarian aspect, development issues, human rights and fight against crime.
We expect the Global Compact to become a foundation for long-term comprehensive international cooperation aiming to, inter alia, create channels for legal migration and mechanisms for effective control over migration processes, elaborate instruments against illegal migration, including readmission, as well as fight against migration-related crimes.
It is equally important to facilitate the establishment of a solid basis for a peaceful life and return of people to their homeland in the States facing mass exodus of population. It is evident that many causes of migration-related issues can be addressed by achieving political settlement in the States of origin of migrants, as well as assisting these countries in their social and economic development and nation-building.
Every effort needs to be made to rule out the possibility of terrorists and other criminals infiltrating the States hosting migrants along with other people who need help for real.We should also work together to eradicate xenophobia, as well as social, racial, national and religious hatred and enmity towards migrants.
We reiterate our repudiation of the “shared responsibility” concept that, in its current form, merely implies sharing the burden of hosting forced migrants between the States that frequently have nothing to do with the causes of mass exodus of people. We are not in favor of shifting the burden to others, while the current complicated migration situation is largely a result of irresponsible interference into the internal affairs of sovereign States of Middle East and North Africa. In this context, the countries that were actively involved in such interference should primarily bear the greatest responsibility, including for the migration-related consequences.
We also believe it is inappropriate to refer to the activities and recommendations of the Agenda for the Protection of Cross-Border Displaced Persons in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change and the Platform on Disaster Displacement. As of today, there is no reliable and universally recognized scientific evidence pointing to the direct correlation between climate change and displacement, as well as the predominance of environmental factors in displacement. Besides, the work of the Platform does not have the support of all countries, and its conclusions have not been approved under the auspices of the relevant entity, which is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Global Compact is certainly not a legally binding instrument and does not impose legal or financial obligations on the acceding countries.
At the same time, it sets out a specific direction for the development of current views of and approaches towards international migration and shapes a universal approach to this issue.
Specific mechanisms to implement the Global Compact are to be elaborated both within the framework of international cooperation and at the national level taking into account the national interests of its parties, including in the field of security, and their priorities of promoting the interests of their citizens.
It should be mentioned in this regard that the Russian Federation has already actively embarked on this work.
On October 31, 2018, President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, approved an updated version of the Concept of State Migration Policy of the Russian Federation.
The Concept contains a number of provisions implementing the principles and objectives of the Global Compact. It envisages, inter alia, that:
- Russia should remain open to foreign citizens considering it as a country with favorable conditions that meet their economic, social and cultural needs;
- The rules for entering Russia, as well as acquiring the right to stay (reside) and to work in the Russian Federation should be simple, understandable and transparent;
- Migrants should have equal opportunities to receive public services, including information services, in the field of migration regardless of their migration status, level of income and other circumstances;
- Administrative procedures should be streamlined, including through the extensive use of modern digital technologies, to eliminate conditions conducive to corruption, decrease the probability of technical errors and reduce time-related, organizational and financial costs of all participants in the process.
We are ready to cooperate with all States on this crucial matter.
