Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Dr. Nicholas A. Ioannides has said on Friday that the effective management of migration presupposes shared responsibilities, mutual trust and genuine solidarity among member states. He was addressing the opening of the Informal Ministerial Conference on the Pact of Migration and Asylum held in Nicosia, under the Cyprus Presidency of the European Council.
He told participants that the start of the meeting that it takes place at a particularly significant juncture as today marks the entry into force of the European Pact and Asylum, a major milestone for the EU and for the collective effort to manage migration.
‘Today marks the culmination of a long and demanding joint journey in recent years through intensive consultations and often difficult negotiations, member states and European institutions worked with dedication to shape a new more comprehensive and more resilient European framework for managing migration and asylum’, said Dr. Ioannides.
Noting ‘the pact is a result of this collective effort’, he said it ‘reflects our shared determination to address an issue that no country can effectively manage on its own. It is a concrete confirmation that the EU can find common ground and develop common solutions, even on the most complex and sensitive issues. The significance of the pact goes beyond its legislative concept. It reflects our conviction that the effective management of migration presupposes shared responsibilities, mutual trust and genuine solidarity among member states’.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that ‘its success will depend on the consistency with which we will implement the commitment we have made and our ability to continue working in a spirit of cooperation and unity.’
Dr. Ioannides further said that today is not the end of the process. ‘On the contrary, a new path opens before us, of joint action and shared responsibility. The implementation of the pact marks the opening of a new chapter for European Migration Policy, a chapter we are called upon to write together with solidarity, determination and a shared vision for the future of Europe.’
To celebrate this important milestone, participants watched a short video made in the context of the implementation of the pact.