22/06/2015 Session
Addressing PACE today at its June session, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Malta’s membership of the Council of Europe, the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, called for “an effective, comprehensive and holistic migration policy”, pinned on a human rights-based approach. “Migration is a global phenomenon that requires global solutions,” she stated. At the same time, “we need to address the root causes of migration, in closer co-operation with countries of origin and transit, in the Mediterranean and in Africa,” she added.
She regretted that the international community has been passive for too long confronted with smuggling and called for the setting up of an international anti-human smuggling coalition mandated by the United Nations, “to intervene and to disrupt human traffickers, who are making a profit from the plight of poor people”.
Ms Coleiro Preca said that assisting migrants should not be seen as burden-sharing but as opportunity-sharing, that will impact positively on our depleting workforce in Europe, and subsequently, address our concerns regarding the sustainability of our welfare and pension systems. “Migrants can become an asset to our economies,” she said.
In addition, she praised the development of the Council of Europe Policy towards neighbouring regions, mainly North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, hoping that such co-operation would not only lead to these countries embracing the values upheld by the Council of Europe, but at the same time, “ensure more stability and security, both within Europe as well as its neighbourhood”.