Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS
Wealthier countries must do more to relieve the burden of nations who are hosting large numbers of refugees, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told media in Geneva today. The remarks were made at press conference he held together with the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, during the first-ever World Refugee Forum.
“We cannot have a concept of burden-sharing based on the idea that developing countries keep the refugees and developed countries support financially the developing countries to keep the refugees,” the Secretary-General said, in plea for all nations to honour their obligations under the treaties that protect refugees. “ I think burden-sharing is also for the developed countries to have their borders open to asylum seekers seeking protection and to give a fair treatment to their claims,” Mr. Guterres said.
The Global Refugee Forum, hosted by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Switzerland -- and co-convened by Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Germany, Pakistan, and Turkey -- aims to generate new approaches and long-term commitments to help refugees and the communities in which they live.
“Global forced displacement has been rising steadily in recent years. Today more than 70 million people are forcibly displaced, double the level of 20 years ago and 2,3 million more than just one year ago, ” he said. “We must change the way we respond to the refugee situation, so that we can better cope with present realities and prepare for future challenges. “
The UN Secretary-General said a rising tide of human displacement means that the root causes that lead people to flee in the first place must be addressed, and that the time has come to ensure that the human rights of refugees are upheld.
Contributions made at the Global Refugee Forum are expected to go far beyond financial assistance, and to include technical and material aid, as well as legal and policy changes for the greater inclusion of refugees in society. “The pledges announced this morning by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank and the private sector are welcome examples of the crucial role that these entities play in responding to refugee situations”, said Antonio Guterres. He added that “together with others ongoing or planned investments by the private sector and other bi-lateral development entities and other financial institutions – all these have ensured tangible results for refugees and host communities”.
The Forum brings together refugees, heads of state and government leaders, international intuitions, development organizations, business leaders and civil society representatives, among others, in the largest ever event organized by the UN Refugee agency. “The response we got around this Forum is quite impressive,’ said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “With 3000 participants registered, for UNHCR this is the biggest event it has ever managed in his history”.
Mr. Grandi estimated that some 700 pledges would be made during the course of the three-day event, which began yesterday. “When I say pledges it does not mean only money,” the High Commissioner emphasized.“It means legislation. Ethiopia, for example, has spoken about further legislation to include refugees in services and in the economy -- just to give you an example, because they spoke this morning. It is resettlement to third countries, it is many ways that actors [and] participants can pledge”.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is gravely concerned by the escalating violence in and around El-Fasher city, North Darfur, where dozens of people have been killed in the past two weeks as hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified., UN Human Rights spokesperson Seif Magango told the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) briefed the journalist on the latest development in Iran.
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Edited News | WHO
"WHO warns of widespread misuse of antibiotics during COVID-19 pandemic, fueling antimicrobial resistance."
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Press Conferences , Edited News | FAO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Launch of the Global Report on Food Crises 2024
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Edited News | OHCHR
Summary: OHCHR - Ravina Shamdasani addresses the Israel-Occupied Palestinian Territory situation.
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Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR
Summary: The UK-Rwanda asylum law has raised concerns from UN High Commissioners due to potential harmful consequences on global responsibility-sharing, human rights, and refugee protection. The legislation allows for the transfer of asylum-seekers to Rwanda without thorough consideration of individual circumstances or protection risks.