The UN Secretary-General spoke to MEPs of tackling the roots of violent radicalism, creating more legal routes for migration and leading the way in sustainable development.

Ban Ki-moon: "Saving lives should be top priority"

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20498587/n005-150527-002-en.srt

A busy day for Ban Ki-moon,  Secretary-General of the United Nations,

on a whistle-stop tour  of the European institutions in Brussels.

The aim of his visit:  explaining his vision on migration.

We need more effective law-enforcement  actions against the traffickers,

but we also need safe alternatives  to dangerous voyages

as well as legal channels  such as resettlement,

family reunification and  work and study visas.

Ban Ki-moon also announced that  he will present an action plan

against violent extremism  later this year.

We must always be mindful  of our special responsibility

to avoid responses to terrorism  and violent extremism

I believe you are one of the truly  credible representatives of the idea

of a peaceful cooperation of  all the nations on this planet.

As a next step, the UN will possibly  vote for a resolution

on an operation against  smugglers in the Mediterranean.