There is never a humanitarian solution for a humanitarian crisis. The solutions for the humanitarian crisis are always political ones.
Antonio GuterresRead
Authorities that erect major obstacles to migration - or place severe restrictions on migrants' work opportunities - inflict needless economic self-harm, as they impose barriers to having their labor needs met in an orderly, legal fashion. Worse still, they unintentionally encourage illegal migration.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Restricting migration can harm a country's economy and lead to illegal immigration.
In this quote, Antonio Guterres emphasizes that when authorities impose strict restrictions on migration and the rights of migrants to work, they not only create unnecessary challenges for themselves but also inadvertently foster illegal immigration. The economic needs of a country can be better met through orderly and legal migration, and by blocking this, governments may be undermining their own economic well-being.
Themes
MigrationEconomyRestrictionsIllegalityLabor
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a debate about immigration policy to illustrate the economic impacts of restrictions.
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Syria has become the great tragedy of this century - a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history.
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