A Vatican diplomat said that “wherever possible,” the return of migrants to their native lands “should be a voluntary and informed choice.”
Addressing a committee meeting of the International Organization for Migration, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, said on October 29 that “it is imperative to emphasize that migration and return should never be driven by desperation.”
“The credibility of any return policy is measured by the manner in which it is executed,” Archbishop Balestrero continued. “A return that is voluntary, informed and carried out in a safe and dignified manner will be more successful than one that is forced or poorly executed.”
The prelate added:
However, it is important to note that if the return is not followed by development, it will not endure. It is vital to emphasize reintegration, which involves providing ongoing support to returnees, their families, and the communities that receive them until they can thrive independently and establish a future for themselves.