Spanish Foreign Ministry officials hail UN migration deal after General Assembly approval

SPAIN’S government has welcomed the approval of a UN global migration pact saying it provides a “robust” framework to manage the movement of people at an international level.
Foreign Ministry officials said Spain was committed to implementing the 23 objectives of the Global Compact on Migration, which the UN’s General Assembly adopted this week.
Commitments including better migration data gathering, reducing the need for people to leave their home country and combating trafficking represent a “solid step forward”, officials said.
“Spain views the adoption of the pact very positively. It will allow global progress on achieving UN objectives on secure, orderly and regulated migration,” the Foreign Ministry said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the agreement would benefit migrations and countries of origin, transit and destination.
“This pact provides a platform for countries to have greater solidarity with migrants in situations of regrettable vulnerability and abuse,” Guterres said.
The deal has proved controversial in some quarters. Protests were held in some European countries and the deal pushed Belgium’s government to the brink of political crisis. The United States has refused to sign up to the pact.
The deal comes as figures from the International Organisation for Migration showed at least 745 migrants died or disappeared while attempting to reach Spain by sea this year.