Geneva – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) express profound sadness and concern at the loss of life and injuries reported during attempted crossings of the fence between Nador in Morocco and Melilla in Spain on Friday morning.

IOM and UNHCR urge all authorities to prioritize the safety of migrants and refugees, refrain from the excessive use of force and uphold their human rights.

These violent events highlight more than ever the importance of finding durable solutions for people on the move, in the spirit of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact for Refugees.

IOM and UNHCR reiterate their call to the international community, in line with the principle of responsibility sharing, to strengthen access to safer, alternative pathways to mitigate the resort to dangerous journeys and reduce the risk of such tragic events from occurring again in the future.

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For more information, please contact:

IOM:

In Geneva: Safa Msehli, +41 79 403 5526,  smsehli@iom.int 

In Brussels: Ryan Schroeder, + 32 492 25 02 34, rschroeder@iom.int 

In Cairo: Mohammedali Abunajela, +20 100 300 4406, mmabunajela@iom.int

UNHCR:

In Geneva: Shabia Mantoo,+41 79 337 7650, mantoo@unhcr.org

In Madrid: Maria Jesus Vega, +34 670 661 263 vegam@unhcr.org

In New York: Kathryn Mahoney, +1 347.574.6552, mahoney@unhcr.org

In Rabat: Maxence Hayek, +212661958563, hayekm@unhcr.org