Migration is part of the modern world, and it is not going away despite a COVID slowdown, a UN official has told UN News, just ahead of a new UN migration report launched on Friday.

Jorge Bravo, the head of the Population Policies and Development Branch at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), explained to Conor Lennon from UN News that it has never been easier or faster to move around the world, which is more integrated and connected than ever before.

Although movement restrictions brought in during the COVID-19 pandemic limited migration in 2020, Mr. Bravo said that the longer-term trend is still showing an increase in the numbers of people leaving their countries of origin to live elsewhere.