 It is truly my pleasure to join you for this 107th session of the Council of the International Organization for Migration. I would like to be in my contribution by celebrating the 65th year of successful leadership, which IOM has brought and continues to deliver to the field of migration. Furthermore, under the sure guidance of Director General William Lacy Swing, it is exciting and challenging to consider the new opportunities opening to IOM as an allied organization within the United Nations. My remarks today shall center on the importance of peace and well-being with the hope of stimulating further thought and reflection. Our aspirations to secure these values can only become a reality when they are built on a shared commitment among nations, to safeguard our fundamental human rights, the upholding of human dignity, and the promotion of a global social solidarity approach. This global social solidarity approach is portrayed in the full implementation of the United Nations' sustainable development goals, which were adopted by all countries within the United Nations last year. The international community must endeavor to implement these goals in all areas of social, economic, environmental, and cultural betterment, to create meaningful well-being and sustainable peace in our world for the benefit of all humanity. We must continue to compel our governments and all stakeholders to walk the talk. All our strategies must recognize the important link that exists between inclusive democratic societies and the culture of sustainable peace that must be built in our diverse communities and nations. However, as we all know, the expanding diversity of our global societies is being portrayed with growing hostility. This is truly alarming. Citizens in many countries are anxious about precarious economies and their experiences of growing inequality. In response, unscrupulous fear-mongers and populists are capitalizing on such unease, pointing the finger of blame at the migrant who is considered the newcomer, the stranger, the outsider. The threat of extremism and intolerance, even in what we believe to be the most secure democracies, is breathing a dangerous atmosphere of hatred and suspicion. In light of these troubling trends, the phenomenon of migration is an increasingly polarized topic in many of our countries and across our world. Unfortunately, words of reason are being displaced by anger even at the highest levels of governance. Complacency at this critical juncture in human history is dangerous. We cannot allow the substance of our human rights and the mandate of our covenants and conventions to be diluted. Governments must ensure that human rights are effectively and equitably accessible to each and every member of our societies, so as not to risk even more discontentment among the peoples of the world. Such an approach would be of long-term benefit to address discord, exclusion and the risk of radicalization. As I see it, two parts are opening up for us. One leads deeper into alienation and despair, back to a past we thought we had outgrown. The other leads us forward with a message of hope. The violence that is becoming more frequent and bolder in our societies is only held back by the hard work of passionate people like yourselves, individuals and groups who uphold respect and peace. The international community has had a number of opportunities to come together and develop strategies to move from words to action. However, it seems to me that still very little is being done. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants acknowledges that the multidimensional reality of migration must include collaboration across countries of origin, transit and destination. Furthermore, the Declaration explicitly links these concerns with the remit of the 2030 agenda and its sustainable development goals. Other important proposals were agreed upon during the Valletta summit on migration held in Malta last year. The summit brought together stakeholders from Africa and European countries of origin, transit and destination. Present around one table to create a unified roadmap for the future. Key outcomes included the need to prioritize more investment in highly affected countries, linking the global north and south, while also creating a holistic, collaborative approach to internal and external migration. The most recent joint statement from 78 organizations, including IOM, entitled Children Cannot Wait, Seven Priority Actions to Protect our Refugees and Migrant Children, urges European Union leadership to act immediately in cooperation with civil society in seven priority areas to safeguard refugee and migrant children in their comprehensive needs. World organizations, like IOM, have the duty to remind and assert that governments live up to their responsibilities. We must work together to advocate for an approach that values the well-being of each and every member of our societies and communities. All the work that IOM has done must serve as an encouragement to move further, to do more, to change the unfolding situation for the better. I come from Malta, a nation in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. I am living proof of the strength that comes from the diversity of cultures and the movement of peoples connected across regions. This diversity is a source of my identity and the driving force of resilience and well-being in my life. Human migration is a global phenomenon that no organization or nation is equipped to deal with alone. In particularly, the Mediterranean remains the primary access spot for migrants coming from very serious of the African continent. According to recent data presented by Federico Soda, I think he's somewhere here, director of IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean. Some 90 percent of migrants attempting to traverse the sea leave from Libya. Moreover, at the Valletta Summit, former president of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, said, and I quote, the Mediterranean is the most dangerous route. It is heartbreaking to recognize that this route is also responsible for the largest number of reported fatalities. UNHCR reports that over 347,000 have already crossed the Mediterranean this year. Of these arrivals, 58 percent come from the world's top 10 refugee countries of origin. According to data from IOM, for 2016, over 4,600 people have been reported dead or missing in the region. In light of these facts, we must respond even more passionately to the arguments of those individuals who profess that walls and fences are the only way to deal with growing numbers of vulnerable people. It is with the goal of finding sustainable responses that my foundation for the well-being of society in Malta has facilitated a refugee-led NGO platform. It has created a space of empowerment for asylum-seeking groups and communities across Malta. Through this platform, we are better able to address issues of well-being within these communities and bring their concerns to the attention of the relevant authorities and the public at large. My foundation also assisted in the launch last year of a publication produced by the Jesuit Refugee Services of Malta. The book recounts the experiences of six Somali women who are seeking asylum in Malta. One Somali refugee said, and I quote, In my country, my rights were violated. My life was not mine, but dictated by someone else. If I am to be respected, first, I need to be free, free from the bars surrounding me, free from being controlled by someone else, free to run my life, unquote. Earlier this year, I was also invited to launch the autobiography of a young Somali transgender woman. This unaccompanied child had fled in fear for her life due to the discrimination and threats of violence she faced as a result of her gender identity. I quote, Little did I know that the gates of hell were now wide open. We parted ways with the smugglers from the desert, who handed us over to Libyan smugglers, who now would help us to get to the Libyan capital of Tripoli. They were more ruthless than their counterparts. This became evident when they showed us a torture chamber where people who refused to pay them would be served their punishment, unquote. Her story is both a harrowing reminder of the struggles faced by minority groups around the world and the testament to the courage of the human spirit. I am pleased that in Malta, she was able to publicly celebrate the fullness of her identity and recognition of her fundamental right to self-determination. The resilience of such individuals is an encouragement for us to keep pushing against the agendas of rabble-rousers who are riding waves of hostile populism. Furthermore, the suffering of refugee women is inevitably connected to the suffering of children who are often at greatest risk of social exclusion. During my time as Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, I worked to ensure that the detention of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children was ended and that families were kept together. IOM, working hand-in-hand with UNHCR, were essential collaborators in making these changes possible. A technical report facilitated by my foundation made it clear that united in purpose, your organizations have the power to create meaningful improvements in policies, protocols and services which directly affect people's lives. Earlier this year, I was confronted by the massive need for essential services on a recent visit to Al-Zatari refugee camp in Jordan. As you all probably know, Al-Zatari camp has a population of over 80,000 refugees which is predominantly made up of children and young people. Indeed, some 57% of the camp's population is under 18 years of age. Families in the camp are struggling to achieve some semblance of normality. While these families are living under the burden of uncertainty, even though Jordan, as the host country goes out of its way to support, the international community can do much more to make real progress to better the lives of all the innocent victims of war. I saw with my own eyes the lack of even the most basic resources. If food, water and the appropriate sanitation are lacking, what does that say about access to education and processes of justice? The international community must not allow a generation of people to be abundant, lost in an environment of unrest and open to the threat of radicalization. The sense of exclusion being created in Europe and the suffering being created in these camps will result in a lost generation of children and young people. I fear that their disillusionment will leave them particularly vulnerable with potentially devastating repercussions. I would like to reiterate the need for governments and authorities and international organizations to assert the importance of human rights at every opportunity. It is by witnessing the struggles of such families, risking all to cross the Mediterranean in search of a better life for themselves, that I was, myself changed. Allow me to share another of my experiences with you. When I was minister, I met a seven-year-old Syrian boy named Muhammad, who was a survivor who had seen his entire family drown in the Mediterranean in October 2013. The child was saved by a 30-year-old Syrian man who might have drowned himself, but did all he could to save Muhammad's life. Due to the severity of his trauma, the little boy was unable to speak. After an intensive social media campaign, the boy was identified by his paternal uncle, thanks to the assistance of Red Cross Moulta and IOM Moulta. The smile on little Muhammad's face when he was reconnected with his uncle stays with me to this day. Much of IOM's work focuses on reunification, and I am glad to know that representatives from IOM shall be present at the upcoming international conference entitled Lost in Migration, working together to protect children from disappearance to be held in Moulta next month. According to UNHCR data, more than a third of migrants have arrived in Europe since January 2016 have been children. These include unaccompanied children whose first-hand experiences shall be shared by young people during the conference. Missing children in Europe, alongside my foundation for the well-being of society, will bring together key stakeholders with the hope to develop a forward-looking action plan which shall protect children in migration and improve coordination among stakeholders. In Moulta, we have experienced the fruits of IOM's hard work. Let us now work together to be stronger than ever in response to an increasingly aggressive and hostile politics of populist division. The fundamental well-being of our peoples must be a top priority for policymakers around the world. If all of our communities feel secure, are listened to, and are respected, then we shall reduce the unhappiness, anxiety and tension which are being manipulated by the amagogues. This is the way to address the roots of political extremism. This is the way we prevent extremism from spreading throughout communities and nations. If we do not prevent political extremism from spreading, I fear there shall be terrible and far-reaching effects with refugees and migrants bearing the brunt of this growing anger and disillusionment. Moulta recognises that we must act to implement effective and efficient measures which acknowledge the concerns of individuals and communities in Europe and uphold the human dignity of migrants and refugees. Moulta's upcoming presidency of the Council also presents an opportunity to practically implement the outcomes of the Valletta Summit which include tackling public perceptions, effective investment in countries of origins and attitudes in transit and destination countries. In conclusion, let us recognise the empowerment at community level that sows the seeds for a transformation that shall embrace into our nations. Let us strive together to build a democratic culture of solidarity which we shall be proud to hand down to our future generations. I refuse to accept that this period of anxious uncertainty will define our future. I have too much faith in humanity. However, the international community needs to move from words to action. It is up to each and every one of us to walk this journey together, united in pursuit of peace and led by our ethical commitment to the well-being of all humanity. Thank you.