Accept, protect, promote, and integrate migrants and refugees”
Pope Francis.
A message from Pope Francis was key to inspire Costa Rica’s migration policy. National authorities are committed to the integration of migrants as a gateway to sustainable development.
The national leaders see migration as a phenomenon that no one can stop and in order to deal with it, empathy is needed for the good of the country.
The National Integration Plan intends an action that transcends the assistance nature of the State, to become a multidimensional process where the institutions, migrants, refugees and sustainable development are included within the State. They are principles of equality, solidarity and non-discrimination,”
explained Gisela Yockchen during the presentation of the national plan 2018 -2022.
In that event, the hierarch presented the video where Pope Francis exhorted the world to welcome, promote, protect and integrate migrants.
Yockchen explained that global migration is seen as something negative that takes space and jobs, but is rather an opportunity for growth. The official recalled that Costa Rica set great lessons after 25 thousand people from African and Asian countries arrived in the country and were able to assist them successfully.
Migration is a right and if we are on a geographically transit route, we must apply policies and our operations must be prepared for these migratory flows to ensure respect for the human right of these people, and our national security and public order,”
said the official.