The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, welcomed the adoption of the European Union's (EU) new pact on migration and asylum and pledged rights-based support to member States during keynote remarks delivered at the Ministerial Conference on the implementation of the Pact in Ghent, Belgium on April 30.

"The Pact is a major step forward on the journey to a more comprehensive approach to migration management in Europe," said Director General Amy Pope.

As the EU prepares to implement the pact, the Director General offered IOM's support to the EU and Member States with its rights-based implementation. "IOM commends the EU Pact, and I am here to discuss how we can help the implementation and deliver a more resilient migration and asylum system that also protects the rights of people on the move," said Pope.

'Effective implementation will need sufficient resources'

"Our expertise and long-standing cooperation with the EU can form the foundation for additional support on the ground. Effective implementation will need sufficient resources and capacity to achieve a more robust and crisis-resilient system," Pope continued.

"IOM will continue to advocate for holistic approaches to bring out the full potential of migration to drive growth and prosperity while protecting and assisting those in need," added Pope.

The Director General assured stakeholders at the conference that IOM will continue to work closely with partners in countries of origin and transit to address the drivers that push people to leave their homes and embark on dangerous journeys.

She stressed the need for a renewed emphasis on a comprehensive approach where safe and regular pathways provide a critical and complementary balance to enforcement measures, which alone will not deter irregular migration or reduce the demand for migrant smuggling networks. The conference was convened by the government of Belgium, which currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU.