‘Migration is not the crisis,’ UN chief tells forum, 'crisis is the world’s collective failure to manage it together’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged the international community to reject the "fear and misinformation" surrounding global migration, asserting that the movement of people is a historical constant rather than an inherent disaster.

"Migration is not the crisis. The crisis is the world’s collective failure to manage it together," Guterres told the International Migration Review Forum 2026. He criticized the political scapegoating and dehumanization of migrants, noting that more than 15,000 people have died or disappeared along travel routes in two years.

The secretary-general proposed a six-point strategy to address the humanitarian toll, which includes 200,000 trafficking victims identified in the last four years. He called for a crackdown on human smugglers equivalent to the war on drugs and demanded that member states dismantle criminal networks by "cutting off their financial flows."

The UN chief insisted that human rights must remain "front and center," regardless of an individual's legal status. He specifically called for ending the detention of families and children while expanding regular legal pathways to "curb exploitation" and meet labor market needs.

Guterres also emphasized the need to invest in education and economic opportunities in countries of origin to reduce the pressure for "perilous journeys." He urged partners to support the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which has mobilized $68 million since 2019.