We need to focus on saving lives in UK channel, says UN migration agency
The recent arrival of migrants in the UK who have crossed the English Channel without permission has underlined that more effort should be placed on ensuring safe and legal migration channels, the UN migration agency, IOM, said on Wednesday.
Speaking to UN News amid reports that increasing numbers of migrants are risking their lives in small boats on one of the world’s busiest waterways, IOM spokesperson Leonard Doyle said that more attention should be placed on catching the criminals who organize the journeys in the first place.
“We need to focus on saving lives,” Mr Doyle said, adding that European States need to do more to offer legal pathways to people either in need of international protection or seeking a better life outside their country.
If there were more adequate legal migration channels, there would be “less irregular crossings, fewer fatalities, abuses against migrants, and smuggling operations”, Mr Doyle insisted.
According to reports, around 240 people have reached the UK by boat in the last two months.
Five new Member States begin two year terms on UN Security Council
To the United Nations Security Council now, where five non-permanent Member States have begun new two-year terms: Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, Dominican Republic and Belgium.
They will join the five permanent members of the Council – China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom, along with five other non-permanent members who began their terms a year ago: Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Peru and Poland.
The Security Council is one of six main organs of the United Nations established by the UN Charter in 1945.
The Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
While other UN bodies can make recommendations to Member States, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that they are obliged to implement under the UN Charter.
UN Stamps maintain first class look in 2019
And finally, stamps featuring a children’s favourite toy brand and a former UN Secretary-General are expected to be issued this year by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA).
The Hello Kitty series – which is set to be released in May – focuses on the UN’s Global Goals agenda; it’s designed to promote 17 sustainable development targets between now and 2030.
And stamps to commemorate the life of Kofi Annan - the UN’s seventh Secretary-General who died last year – will be released in the same month.
More than 15 first class designs are also ready to mark other important events.
These include the centenary of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the upcoming Chinese New Year, efforts to tackle climate change and the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
For more information on the 2019 issues, search for unstamps.org
Daniel Johnson, UN News.
