'No country must be left alone on migration', Pope Francis

On Monday, January 8, Pope Francis, in a meeting with ambassadors to the Vatican, addressed the pressing issues of war, poverty, environmental degradation, and resource exploitation, identifying them as root causes leading thousands to abandon their homes in pursuit of a future marked by peace and security.

"During their journey, they put their life in danger along perilous routes, like in the Sahara desert, in the forest of Darién at the border between Colombia and Panama, in Central America, in northern Mexico, at the border with the United States, and especially in the Mediterranean Sea," he explained.

The pontiff denounced that the Mediterranean Sea "has unfortunately become over the last decade a large cemetery with tragedies continuing to follow one another, also due to unscrupulous human traffickers."

He stressed that the victims of migrant shipwrecks include many unaccompanied minors.

"Confronted by this huge tragedy, we end up closing our hearts, hiding behind the fear of an 'invasion'. We easily forget that we are facing people with a face and a name, and we set aside the call of Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean), which is not to be a tomb, but a meeting place of reciprocal enrichment for people, populations and cultures," he continued.

The pontiff envisioned the Mediterranean as a potential "laboratory of peace," urging it to be a space where diverse countries and realities converge based on shared humanity.

Despite acknowledging the European Union's commitment to addressing migration issues through a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, Pope Francis cautioned against potential limitations, "especially concerning the recognition of the right to asylum and the danger of arbitrary detentions," he said.

He stressed the importance of regulating migration with a focus on welcoming, promoting, accompanying, and integrating migrants, all while respecting the culture, sensitivity, and security of the host populations.

The Pope emphasized the parallel need to facilitate conditions that allow individuals to remain in their home countries effectively.

He underscored the necessity for collective efforts, expressing satisfaction with the EU's commitment while cautioning against overly restrictive and repressive legislation driven by fear or electoral considerations. Pope Francis noted specific concerns, particularly regarding the recognition of the right to asylum and the risk of arbitrary detentions within the proposed EU pact.