US withdraws from UN Global Compact on Migration
Puigdemont to remain in Belgium till Catalan elections over Today, the US Mission to the United Nations informed the UN Secretary-General that the United States is ending its participation in the Global Compact on Migration.
UNITED NATIONS, United States: The administration of President Donald Trump has withdrawn the United States from a United Nations pact to improve the handling of migrant and refugee situations, deeming it ‘inconsistent’ with its policies, the US mission to the global body announced Saturday.
“Today, the US Mission to the United Nations informed the UN Secretary-General that the United States is ending its participation in the Global Compact on Migration,” the Americans said in a statement.
In September 2016, the 193 members of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a non-binding political declaration, the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, pledging to uphold the rights of refugees, help them resettle and ensure they have access to education and jobs.
“The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with US immigration and refugee policies and the Trump Administration’s immigration principles. As MADRID: Catalonia’s deposed leader Carles Puigdemont will remain in Belgium until after the Dec 21 elections in his native province, as he is fighting extradition to Spain, his lawyer said Saturday.
Puigdemont was sacked as Catalan president after holding a banned independence referendum and declaring, on Oct 27, that “Catalans have the capacity and the will to become an independent state. And on (Dec) 21, we must ratify this.” Madrid imposed direct rule on the formerly semiautonomous region to stop the independence drive.
Puigdemont, who is awaiting possible extradition to Spain where he is wanted on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, is running in the election at the head of the Junts per Catalunya (‘All for Catalonia’ in Catalan) grouping. It comprises people from his conservative, separatist PDeCAT party as well as members of civil society.
“No matter what, they will be (in Brussels) till at least December 21 and according to my calculations this could go on till mid-January,” lawyer Jaume Alonso Cuevillas told Catalan radio Rac1, referring to Puigdemont and four of his former ministers.
They all fled to Belgium in October, ignoring a summons to appear in court in Spain, claiming they would not get a fair trial.
“I am convinced that no matter what happens they will have recourse to an appeal,” the lawyer said. — AFP a result, President Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018,” the US statement said.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the country would continue its ‘generosity’ in supporting migrants and refugees around the world, but that ‘our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans
US statement
and Americans alone.’
“We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with US sovereignty.”
Under Trump and his ‘America First’ policies, the United States has withdrawn from several global commitments made under the administration of president Barack Obama, including the Paris climate deal.
More recently, American pulled out of the Paris-based culture and education body, Unesco, accusing it of ‘anti-Israel bias.’ — AFP