The General Assembly adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants today, thereby mapping a route towards a collective, rights-based response to record displacement numbers around the world.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the opening session of the high-level plenary meeting to address large movements of refugees and migrants, in New York today:

The General Assembly adopted a consensus resolution today deciding to transmit the “New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants” to its seventy-first session, paving the way for its adoption by Heads of State and Government at the 19 September United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants.