Washington.- After a year of negotiations, on the 10th of December, the Global Pact for Secure, Orderly and Regular Migration was adopted in Morocco, with the support of 164 Member States of the United Nations.

Then, on the 18th, with a vote of 152 countries in favor, five against and 12 abstentions, the General Assembly approved the draft resolution that reaffirms the commitment of the UN to the pact.

For its secretary general, Antonio Guterres, the document -which consists of 23 objectives- "demands greater solidarity with migrants in situations of terrible vulnerability and abuse."

With measures aimed at countering human trafficking and the separation of families, the text appears as the first agreement that establishes cooperation between countries to take advantage of the benefits of migration and protect undocumented migrants.

But the leadership will be crucial to "give life to the pact" and avoid myths and derogatory discourse, stressed the head of the UN. Guterres hopes that it will become a "road map to prevent suffering and chaos."

Migration has always been with us -he recalled- but it must be managed and safe. In addition, national policies are much more likely to succeed with international cooperation, he said.

But several member states expressed their opposition and concerns, and some even qualify it as a 'pro-migratory' agreement that threatens national sovereignty.

Led by the United States, certain governments refused to attend the summit in Morocco and rejected the agreement: Hungary, Austria, Israel, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Australia, the Dominican Republic and Chile.

For the Secretary General of the UN, the falsehoods that have expanded over the pact and migration in general are regrettable.

The agreement does not establish a new right that allows people to choose where and when to go, only tries to ensure the dignity of migrants and respect for their human rights, said Guterres.

Who can be against, for example, guidelines that strengthen the fight against the smuggling of migrants and human trafficking, questioned the president of the General Assembly at its 73rd session, María Fernanda Espinosa.

According to the UN special representative for migration, Louise Arbor, the pact can have a huge impact on the lives of millions: the migrants themselves, the people they leave behind and the communities that will later host them.

But everything will depend on the effective implementation of their initiatives, he remarked, because "it is designed to improve security and order in the management of migration, and reduce the use of dangerous and chaotic migratory routes." (PL)

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