The EU and its MS welcome that this second preparatory thematic session is devoted to drivers of migration, and specifically looking into poverty eradication and the effects of human made crisis and climate change as results in regular and irregular large migratory flows, and thank the moderators and panellists for their valuable contributions.

The outcome and conclusions of today’s consultation will inform our discussions in the forthcoming thematic sessions and in this regard the EU will seek to ensure that the work to address drivers of migration continues, in order to attain migration objectives under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We would like to express our full support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for international migration and the co-facilitators in taking forward the preparatory process for the Global Compact on Migration towards an ambitious outcome, connecting all migration aspects in a balanced way.

From today’s discussions, we emphasise the need to address drivers of migration in a way to make migration a choice and not a necessity, and to cooperate internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration.

We should further support the exchange of best practises and involvement of different stakeholders to find responses to the challenges and the opportunities posed by international migration. We therefore encourage all relevant stakeholders including states, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, diaspora communities and migrant organizations to commit to lead on or contribute to addressing specific drivers of migration requiring short and long-term cross-sectorial interventions at different levels and work in a collaborative, context-specific and sustainable manner to promote better management of migration in countries of origin, transit and destination and ensure safe, orderly and regular migration.