Migration to serve as focus of UN’s annual treaty-signing event

The annual campaign for the signature and ratification of international treaties that takes place during the opening of the General Assembly session each fall will focus this year on human migration, according to the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, which today made available a book about the 30 accords being highlighted at the event.

“All countries – whether countries of origin, transit or destination – are affected by international migration,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a letter inviting delegations to participate in the treaty actions described in the book Focus 2006: Crossing Borders.

“Managing this migration for the benefit of all has become one of the greatest challenges of our age,” he stresses ahead of the treaty event that will take place from 13 to 15 September, to coincide with a dialogue of high officials on International Migration and Development at UN Headquarters.

The 30 treaties to be promoted cover a broad spectrum of issues concerning refugees, stateless persons, migrant workers and others, including their human rights and security and dealing with such issues as trafficking in persons, food security and ecological migration.