Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has made another strong appeal to the UN General Assembly to address the problem of irregular migration in an appropriate and adequate manner.

Addressing the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York early yesterday morning (Malta time), Dr Gonzi reiterated the calls made by Malta at the assembly last year.

The prime minister called for a concerted response from the international community and the UN, its institutions and organisations, particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

This response should be done particularly by combating criminal organisations that put migrants’ lives at risk for their own financial benefit, and providing assistance to those countries which, like Malta, were carrying a disproportionate burden, said Dr Gonzi.

“Indeed, Malta has for some time been witnessing this tragic human migration caused primarily by internal conflicts, poverty and underdevelopment, resulting in a large influx of asylum seekers arriving irregularly on our small island state, which, at 1,200 persons per square kilometre, has one of the highest population densities in the world.”

Dr Gonzi said that Malta hoped that the high-level dialogue on migration and development held last year and the follow-up meetings, would continue to find support in establishing a comprehensive institutional and holistic response to international migration based on solidarity, respect for human dignity and responsibility-sharing.

Climate change was one of the other main topics that Dr Gonzi spoke about at the assembly. He said the issue and its repercussions must be addressed in a more cohesive and concerted manner among all international institutions and organisations.

It is imperative that all actors involved in climate risk reduction take a unified stand on a strategy and action to strengthen the resilience of affected countries in building their ability to face and adapt to the adverse impact of climate change, said Prime Minister Gonzi.

He added that Malta also believed that the United Nations should establish a mechanism, through the General Assembly, which would report on the activities in the field of climate change throughout the past 20 years.

The mechanism would propose elements of a possible future global strategy that avoided the current fragmented approach and take special account of the needs of small island states.

Speaking about the UN’s high-level dialogue on financing for development next month – which is intended to review the six areas of the monetary consensus – Dr Gonzi said that in his detailed report, the secretary general recommends a series of policies for action by UN member states and other stakeholders in advancing and consolidating economic growth, sustainable development, and social progress.

As rightly pointed out by the secretary general, said Dr Gonzi, “The Monterrey Consensus embodies a major commitment to keeping fully engaged at all levels… to continue building bridges among development, finance and trade organisations and initiatives”.

In this context, the role of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were crucial, he said, adding that the conclusion of negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda would significantly contribute to the sustainable development of developing countries.

In order to ensure that the UN was better equipped to accomplish its mission and its mandates given to it by its principal organs, the ongoing process of reform has to be accelerated, said the prime minister.

“Malta is an advocate of a stronger UN that is representative of the whole membership, transparent in its role and actions, and accountable, efficient and effective in its management.

“It is also in this context that Malta strongly supports efforts to strengthen the system-wide coherence of the UN’s operational development activities.”

The prime minister said the UN reform and the proposed establishment of the “One United Nations” country approach are, in Malta’s view, two important pillars on which the UN can appropriately address the new and growing challenges it is facing.

Member states must give the UN a new face, a stronger meaning and an innovative way of thinking, implementing and acting.

The UN, our organisation, must be given the ability to respond, the capacity to effectively coordinate and deliver, and the means to truly reflect the aspirations of its whole membership, concluded Dr Gonzi.