We are saddened by the far too many loss of lives, including children and women, during sinking incident of a fishing boat off the shore of Greece on 14 June. We extend our condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.

This tragedy in the Mediterranean would neither be the first nor the last. It is not possible to prevent such tragedies without eliminating the root causes of irregular migration. Any counter solution to this approach would only exacerbate the suffering of migrants and refugees, as well as increase death tolls at sea.

Improving living conditions of migrants and refugees and bringing lasting solutions to their challenges is our collective duty and responsibility. This tragic incident has once again demonstrated the obligation of the international community to urgently find solutions to this matter.

As we approach June 20, World Refugee Day, we once again call on the international community to fair responsibility and burden sharing, as well as encourage to collaborate to eliminate the root causes of migratory movements in our region.