New York, 6 May 2026
 

Madam Director General,

The Holy See Delegation welcomes this discussion on the challenges in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), including on contemporary and emerging issues.

The Holy See’s approach to migration is rooted in the Gospel and developed in Catholic Social Teaching, with the God-given dignity of every human person at its core. With this in mind, the Holy See Delegation wishes to offer some reflections in the following areas:

1. Saving lives: there are serious concerns about the vulnerability of migrants along dangerous routes.[1] Protecting migrants’ lives is an obligation under international law, based on the fundamental right to life. Strengthening cooperation on search and rescue operations is of utmost importance, as is ensuring that respect for the right to life is never subordinated to any other interests.           
2. Family unity: regular pathways for family reunification remain limited. More efforts should be made to support family unity, including incorporating family accompaniment into labour mobility schemes and ensuring access to education and healthcare.[2] Particular care and attention must be given to minors.
3. Innovation and technology: digital tools and innovation have the potential to make migration systems more predictable, accessible and efficient. This can be seen in the advances in telemedicine, digital recruitment tools and online consular services. However, the use of surveillance technology in border management has raised concerns about potential human rights violations.[3] These concerns must be addressed through adequate safeguards, robust oversight, and full respect for migrants’ right to privacy. Moreover, another “phenomenon is particularly disturbing in the rise of so-called ‘cyber slavery,’ whereby individuals are lured into fraudulent schemes and criminal activities, such as online fraud and drug smuggling. In such cases, the victim is coerced into assuming the role of perpetrator, exacerbating their spiritual wounds. These forms of violence are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a culture that has forgotten how to love as Christ loves”[4].

Madam Director General,

Pope Leo XIV is very clear: “every migrant is a person and, as such, has inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation. Not all migrants move by choice, but many are forced to flee because of violence, persecution, conflict and even the effects of climate change.”[5] Therefore, while improving migration governance lies at the heart of this review process, this discussion must not be reduced to a purely technical exercise. Behind each objective of the GCM and policy effort stands the God-given dignity of migrants, demanding not only better governance, but also solidarity, collective responsibility, and sustained efforts to ensure their protection and inclusion.

I thank you.
 

_________________

[1] Cf. A/80/632, 28.

[2] Cf. A/80/632, 8.

[3] Cf. A/80/632, 62-65.

[4] Pope Leo XIV, Message, XII World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Trafficking in Persons, 2026.

[5] Pope Leo XIV, Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, 9 January 2026.