UN Chief Urges States To Address Refugee Flow Amid Drownings In Rio Grande - Spokesman

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on states to the strengthen efforts in addressing the flow of refugees amid the tragic deaths of two migrants in the Rio Grande river, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Thursday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th June, 2019) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on states to the strengthen efforts in addressing the flow of refugees amid the tragic deaths of two migrants in the Rio Grande river, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Thursday.

A photograph circulated in media on Monday depicting the bodies of Salvadoran migrant Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his toddler daughter Valeria lying locked in an embrace on the bank of the Rio Grande in Mexico after they drowned in an attempt to cross the river and enter the United States.

"The photo that I think everyone saw of Oscar Ramirez and his daughter Valeria having drowned in the Rio Grande... that singular photo for the Secretary-General... [is] yet another reminder, as if we needed another reminder, that the flow of refugees and migrants must be managed by the countries of destination, countries of transit and countries of origin," Dujarric said.

Dujarric noted that the picture represented a symbol of desperation faced by refugees and migrants across the world, adding that it is essential to recognize respect for human rights and human dignity when it comes to managing the flow of refugees.

On Wednesday, the US Senate passed a bill that secures $4.6 billion in humanitarian aid to address the crisis at the United States' border with Mexico.

Caravans of migrants from Central American countries seeking asylum began moving toward the United States through Mexico last fall. US President Donald Trump has called the surge of arrivals a crisis and declared a national emergency in February to secure funds for constructing a border wall.