The 138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that is taking place in Geneva discusses issues relating to migration. Head of the Estonian Delegation Helmen Kütt said in her speech at the plenary sitting that movement of people provided opportunities, but also presented challenges.

In Kütt’s opinion, the flow of refugees from Syria is one of the hardest problems faced by humanity during the last decades. “We severely condemn the acts that cause human suffering and violate human rights and international law,” Kütt said. She emphasised that everybody should have the possibility to build up a future for themselves in their homeland, and therefore it was necessary to contribute jointly in order to reduce inequality in the world and increase security.

Kütt underlined that it was important to ensure the protection of human rights of migrants regardless of their status. She also pointed out that illegal immigration, including human trafficking and smuggling of immigrants, had to be prevented and deterred, and measures had to be implemented for that purpose. Kütt expressed her joy that the IPU’s general debate was an input to the international immigration and refugee framework that was being prepared in the UN.

Estonia is represented at the 138th Assembly of the IPU in Switzerland by Head of the Delegation Helmen Kütt and member of the Delegation Toomas Kivimägi.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union is the oldest and largest organisation of parliaments in the world. It was established in 1889, and it has 171 member states from the entire world.

The speech by Helmen Kütt (in English) is available on the Riigikogu website.

Photos.

For further information please contact: Helmen Kütt, +372 511 4339

Riigikogu Press Service
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