President Kgalema Motlanthe and Mrs Motlanthe; Ministers; fellow Ambassadors and High Commissioners; business leaders; ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed.
I was asked to share the European Union’s experience with migration, and let me make one simple point: Europe has done its homework.
About ten years ago, when the European Union faced a major migration crisis, we took on a great deal of responsibility, but without adequate rules, systems or control. That produced political divisions among our member states, eroded public trust and, in already uncertain times, migration management became another reason why people felt they were losing control.
The European Union therefore set out to reform its migration policy. After nearly a decade of difficult negotiations, we recently agreed on a new framework known as the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which came into force on 12 June. Although it is only just over a month old, it already provides a stronger foundation for migration governance.
The new rulebook makes procedures faster and more efficient. It protects fundamental rights, and I want to emphasise that point. It creates a fairer balance between responsibility and solidarity among European Union member states.
Europe has long been a destination for people seeking safety, opportunity and a better future. Europeans, too, have migrated throughout history in search of safety and dignity. We therefore understand that seeking a better future is a deeply human impulse.
Today, migrants are an important part of our societies, economies and single market. We want migrants, and we welcome migrants. However, we want migration to be lawful, orderly and managed. As Minister Lamola said, we want people to come to Europe to study, work and contribute to our economies and societies. We also remain committed to providing asylum to those whose lives are in danger.
Human dignity, international law and fundamental rights guide this approach. That is what distinguishes the European Union, and we should regard it as an achievement rather than a burden.
So, what has changed? Let me briefly highlight three points.
First, the Pact strengthens the common European framework. It introduces better screening of arrivals, more effective border procedures, clearer responsibility rules and practical solidarity for member states facing the greatest pressure at the Union’s external borders. For the first time, we have a genuine solidarity mechanism to ensure that responsibility does not fall on only a few countries.
Second, we are strengthening returns. A credible migration policy requires that those who have no legal right to remain must leave. The European Union is therefore establishing a common European returns system with shared tools, greater efficiency and safeguards for fundamental rights. This is essential to restoring public trust.
Third, we are clear that decisions about who enters Europe, and under what circumstances, must be made by the European Union and its member states—not by migrant smugglers or hostile state actors.
Smuggling networks are multinational criminal organisations. They exploit desperation, spread false promises and, far too often, cost lives. If we are serious about saving lives, we must also be serious about dismantling their business model.
We are already seeing results. 2025 has demonstrated that Europe can deliver on migration. Illegal border crossings have declined by 55% over the past two years, while asylum applications have fallen by 21%. These results reflect the collective efforts of EU institutions, member states and our international partners.
We are also investing in stronger and smarter borders. Our Entry-Exit System, the world’s most advanced border information technology platform, is being rolled out. New technologies help make procedures more efficient, reduce administrative burdens and strengthen confidence that the rules are being applied consistently.
However, putting our own house in order is only part of the solution.
Migration does not begin at Europe’s borders. When one route is closed, migration shifts elsewhere. Smuggling networks operate across borders, while the drivers of migration—conflict, poverty, instability, climate pressures and lack of opportunity—lie far beyond the European Union’s territory.
That is why we work with partners along the entire migration route. We need to act early, before people are forced into dangerous journeys across deserts and seas.
We must tackle the root causes of migration, support protection closer to home, combat smugglers and work closely with international organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
At the same time, we cannot be naïve. We must be clear about Europe’s interests. We expect third countries to cooperate in readmitting their own nationals who have no legal right to remain in the European Union.
Partnerships are most effective when they are reliable, practical and based on mutual interests. This matters not only for border management but also for peaceful coexistence.
When migration is unmanaged, public confidence weakens, tensions increase and criminal networks profit. When migration is managed fairly and credibly, space is created for solidarity, lawful mobility and the positive contributions migrants make to our societies.
Let me conclude by saying that the question is not whether migration should exist. It will. It always will.
The real question is: What kind of migration do we want?
The European answer is clear.
We want migration that is lawful, orderly and controlled.
We want to offer protection to those who need it.
We want to attract talent and support economic growth.
We want to reduce irregular arrivals to the lowest possible level and keep them there.
And we want decisions on migration to be made by democratic institutions—not by smugglers and traffickers.
There are no simple solutions. However, the European Union has reached a turning point. We now have a stronger rulebook, better tools and a more strategic approach.
We are moving in the right direction towards a migration policy that is firm, fair and European.
That is the European Union’s experience that I wished to share with you today. Our approach is firm, fair and firmly grounded in our values, fundamental rights and international humanitarian law.
Thank you very much.