"We are experiencing the most outrageous migratory and humanitarian crisis in the recent history of the region": President Duque before the UN General Assembly
MIL OSI Translation. Region: Spanish / Latin America / UN –
New York (Sep. 26/18). Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo accompanied President Iván Duque Márquez on Wednesday, September 26, during his speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations, in which he dedicated part of his speech to talk about the migration crisis that Colombia is experiencing due to the exodus of Venezuelans
"While the conflict in Syria has generated a flow of 600,000 migrants a year to Turkey alone in a period of six years, Colombia, in less than two years, has opened the doors to almost one million Venezuelan brothers," emphasized the President.
He said that Colombia will continue to receive with affection the hundreds of Venezuelans "who are fleeing from a dictatorship" and stressed that "many of them are innocent children, unprotected, exposed to the tragedy of exile."
"We are experiencing the most outrageous migratory and humanitarian crisis in the recent history of the region, due to a dictatorship that annihilated freedoms," he said.
Therefore, he emphasized: "The world must act and must unite so that this tragic exodus comes to an end and a people can see hope flourish (…) This is a global challenge. The end of the dictatorship, the return to democracy and full freedom is the only possible way, "he said.
In his speech, the Colombian Head of State also spoke about the progress of his Government and mentioned the Pact for Colombia, which seeks to promote entrepreneurship and the reactivation of the economy.
"The Sustainable Development Goals validate our agenda for a Colombia where science and technology are driven by connectivity, access to capital, the advancement of the Orange Economy and the promotion of research," he said.
He added: "We have made progress in equity between men and women in the labor and educational world. To recognize this progress, I named the first joint cabinet between men and women in the history of my country. But there is much to be done on this front and we will keep moving forward. "
He also spoke of peace in Colombia and assured that his government will work to ensure that the process of demobilization, disarmament and reintegration that has been advanced in recent years is successful.
He thanked the United Nations for its commitment to contribute to this process and noted that "Colombia's purpose is to fulfill those who have taken the genuine path of leaving violence."
"But, just as we will comply with those who abide by the norms, it is also our duty to apply the law in an exemplary manner to those who persist in the path of criminality," he said.
Among other issues addressed by President Duque, were corruption and drug trafficking, which he said is a global threat.
"Hence we are committed to dismantling these transnational crime networks with a comprehensive agenda," he said, after mentioning that "fight against this phenomenon and at the same time promote a society that rejects drugs because of its devastating effects on health and society, it is our moral duty. "
Regarding illicit crops, he said that "a few weeks ago we received an alarming situation. The incremental trend of the last five years can not continue, as these crops have become the fuel and the incentive for dangerous organized armed groups to emerge. "
The President finished what was his first speech in a United Nations Assembly, affirming that Colombia dreams of a better tomorrow and that "we will not let anything take away the hope of being a country that thinks big".
Ambassador María Emma Mejía accompanied the President's speech.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a translation. Please forgive us should the grammar and / or sentence structure not be perfect.