Humanitarian Coffers Near ‘Bankruptcy’, Third Committee Hears, Top Refugee Official Calls for Complete Change of Course
High Commissioner Warns: ‘We Can No Longer Pick Up the Pieces’
The real solution to the suffering and plight of refugees was not humanitarian action but political decisiveness, a top United Nations official told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today as it began its thematic debate on related issues, returnees and displaced persons.
Calling for a complete change of course, António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, cautioned that without the political will to end conflict, the international community would have to keep reacting and lamenting to fresh crises while spending more money.
“To those who trigger or prolong conflicts, leaving humanitarians to clean up the mess, it is time to say that this must stop,” he said. “We can no longer pick up the pieces.”
He also warned Member States that “humanitarian financing was close to bankruptcy”. It was time to review the relationship between development and relief funding. Humanitarian assistance was often forced to act as a substitute for development funds, which could not be accessed fast enough to keep pace with conflicts multiplying around the world. “No one is winning the wars of today,” he said. “Everyone is losing.”
Calling the current multilateral system for humanitarian action a Western creation, he highlighted cultural expressions of humanitarian values. Refugees were being hosted in several countries that had not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, but had a deeply rooted tradition of generosity. Islamic laws clearly provided for the same protections that modern international refugee law afforded, he noted, adding that it was vital to build on these values to create a truly universal partnership for humanitarian assistance.
The largest population under his agency’s mandate, he noted, were Syrian refugees, who had fled to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. New conflicts had triggered massive displacement in Africa and Ukraine while many “forgotten crises” prevailed around the world. Last year, new refugee displacement outpaced solutions by a rate of approximately 4 to 1.
In the lively interactive dialogue that followed his presentation, delegates raised questions about the plight of internally displaced persons and the problem of human trafficking. They also urged the agency to take measures to limit expenditure and to find durable solutions.
That dialogue was followed by a general debate in which several delegations highlighted the importance of sharing the burden of hosting refugees and displaced persons. A representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said that despite the fact that there were 12 million internally displaced persons in Africa, funding levels had decreased, leaving host States to shoulder more responsibility.
Echoing those words, a representative of Mauritania, speaking on behalf of the African Group, noted that 38 per cent of the world’s refugees were in Africa, with that growing number exacerbated by economic insecurity, the Ebola outbreak and other crises. He cautioned that “abnormal situations were becoming normal”. Developing countries were hosting more than 80 per cent of refugees, he said, adding that a shared responsibility would improve efforts to accommodate them.
The Head of the European Union Delegation also underscored the unprecedented nature of the current refugee problem, with 2013 seeing the highest number of refugees recorded in 20 years. Conflicts in the Middle East, poverty and unrest in portions of Africa, and the security chaos in Libya had spurred large movements of people towards Europe. It was time to take concrete action to bridge the divide between humanitarian and development actors, he said.
Participating in the interactive dialogue were the representatives of Iraq, Belarus, Portugal, Sudan, Japan, Ethiopia, Syria, Norway, Algeria, Sweden, South Sudan, Latvia, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar and Eritrea, as well as the European Union Delegation.
Also speaking in the general debate were representatives of the United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Brazil, India, Thailand, Morocco, Japan, Norway, Syria, Iran, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Ethiopia, China, Kenya, Sudan, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Nigeria, Switzerland, Ecuador, Azerbaijan, Croatia and Serbia. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also spoke.
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were representatives of Morocco, Armenia, Algeria and Azerbaijan.
The Third Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 6 November, to take action on draft resolutions.
Background
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to begin consideration of refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons. Before delegates were the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/69/12), the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/69/12/Add.1) and of the Secretary-General on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa (document A/69/339).
Interactive Debate
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, addressed the Third Committee today, warning Member States that “humanitarian financing was close to bankruptcy”. While it was vital to continue building partnerships with emerging donors and expand opportunities in the private sector, even that would not suffice. “To those who trigger or prolong conflicts, leaving humanitarians to clean up the mess, it is time to say that this must stop,” he said. “We can no longer pick up the pieces.” The international community must review the relationship between development and humanitarian funding because in the current global context of conflict, development funds were not accessible quickly enough and humanitarian assistance had been forced to act as a substitute.
Another important factor was the need to build a truly effective universal partnership for humanitarian action. The present multilateral system was essentially a Western creation. Refugee protection demonstrated that many humanitarian values were universal but expressed differently. While many large refugee-hosting countries had not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, their actual policies reflected a generosity towards people seeking protection that was deeply rooted in traditions. For example, there was nothing in modern international refugee law that was not already reflected clearly in Islamic law and tradition, he said, noting that the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in 2016 was a good opportunity to work towards a truly universal approach to the expression of humanitarian values.
The three pillars of support for refugee protection continued to be the host countries and communities, donors and partners. At a time of record displacement, the institution of asylum was largely preserved and respected, most remarkably, by countries whose means were limited. Host States in the developing world required far more international solidarity and burden-sharing. Strong donor support had also played a key role and during the past year, voluntary contributions to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had reached unprecedented levels. The agency was also benefiting from its partnerships with other United Nations entities and development actors.
Providing an overview of current challenges, he said Syrians were the largest refugee population under his agency’s mandate. Lebanon and Jordan had witnessed a dramatic increase in refugees as a result of the Syrian influx, and in Turkey, the Government had already spent more than $4 billion of its budget in direct assistance. New conflicts had triggered massive displacement in Africa, with 410,000 people internally displaced in the Central African Republic. The situation in Ukraine had also caused significant displacement. Indeed, there were many more “forgotten crises” around the world.
Turning to his agency’s protection mandate, he stated that at least 10 million people globally remained stateless. Yesterday, he had launched a campaign to end statelessness in a decade, which was “ambitious but possible”. Another priority was protection at sea. The recent increase in irregular maritime movements posed complex challenges that the international community must work together to confront. Finally, protection of women and children was another core commitment, especially given that the number of refugee children had risen dramatically in recent years.
Achieving durable solutions, he emphasized, remained the most challenging part of his mandate. Last year, new refugee displacement outpaced solutions by a rate of approximately 4 to 1, and over 6 million people worldwide remained in protracted exile. UNHCR was following comprehensive approaches to tackle that, he said, with efforts that included a recently launched voluntary return operation for some 30,000 former Angolan refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, initiatives for Afghan refugees and for Colombian refugees in Ecuador.
Humanitarian response was at a crossroad, he concluded. It was time to change courses and the most important way of doing that was conflict prevention. In the absence of the political will required to prevent conflict, all that the international community could do was to react to new crises, lament the suffering they caused and try to come up with larger and larger sums of money to cover the resulting costs. “No one is winning the wars of today,” he stated. “Everyone is losing.” Humanitarian action was not enough. The real solution, as always, could only be a political one.
During the ensuing interactive dialogue, delegates asked questions on the best means for coordination between governments and international partners to help displaced persons, mechanisms or frameworks needed to enable the Office to better respond to the needs of internally displaced persons and on cost-effective measures to limit expenditure. Delegates also asked about the relationship between UNHCR and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and ways for Member States to support the Office in addressing the financial resources issues.
Questions also covered measures taken to assure the security of refugees in camps and discrepancies of funds provided to Syria and its neighbouring countries. Delegates asked about ways to highlight the issues of internally displaced persons on the international agenda and on activities carried out to find durable solutions to the refugees’ issues. Other questions related to initiatives to increase resettlement and other forms of temporary support and why refugees of Oceania were not addressed in the report. Questions were also asked about ways to intensify cooperation with other United Nations agencies and international organizations to proactively address the human trafficking phenomena.
Participating in the interactive debate were representatives from Iraq, Belarus, Portugal, Sudan, Japan, Ethiopia, Syria, Norway, Algeria, Sweden, South Sudan, Latvia, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar and Eritrea, as well as the European Union Delegation.
Responding, Mr. GUTERRES said the agency was at their disposal for finding country-specific solutions. A big part of the problem of displacement was that the capacity to prevent conflict globally had diminished. In situations where unpredictability and impunity prevailed, it was crucial to strengthen cooperation and the international community must do more to support countries that had generously received and protected refugees.
Regarding internally displaced persons, enhanced capacity was required to respond and the primary responsibility rested with the State concerned. Since it was not viable to create a new agency to focus on those challenges, it was better to improve coordination mechanisms between agencies, governments and civil society, he said.
Although the agency was not directly involved in cases of trafficking or smuggling, tackling those scourges was an important priority. Solutions should address both why people wanted to move and how they could move legally so they were not at the mercy of smugglers. The international community was doing much more to combat drug trafficking than human trafficking, the latter being a very real problem and a hideous crime.
For its part, the agency was doing its best to move from scattered solutions to comprehensive strategies. The Solution Alliance created in Copenhagen was an important tool. Another task was to increase the role of development actors. A change in the culture of development cooperation was required, he said, pointing to Lebanon as an example of a country requiring massive development assistance. Yet as a middle-income country, Lebanon was not on the radar for development assistance. Development cooperation had to become a tool for solutions of displacement, he stressed.
The agency had made much progress on internal reform, cutting down on staff costs and spending funds more effectively through partnerships and outsourcing, he said. However, the level of resources in relation to the level of need was forcing the agency to not just prioritize, but cut down on essential humanitarian response capacity.
Responding to a delegate from Syria, he noted that until recently, that country was the second largest refugee-hosting country. He respected the Syrian people for their generous sharing of resources. Condemning the use of child refugees for labour, he said “UNHCR is not a State. We cooperate with States but it is States who have police forces and judiciary systems and the responsibility to guarantee security.” The agency was preparing for winterization, he assured the Third Committee, noting that not one Syrian refugee last year had died because of winter.
Climate change, he added, was an aggravating factor in displacement. While his mandate was clearly confined to people forced to move because of conflict and persecution, it was vital to address the protection gaps caused by climate change displacement. It had been suggested that statelessness was a potential framework with which to address the situation of citizens of States whose territories might be engulfed by rising sea levels. Those citizens did not want other nationalities, but wanted to preserve their nationality even when their territories were gone. It was necessary to find the right framework and strategy to address that situation, he said, stressing that in the meantime, governments had a direct responsibility for the refugees that come to their country.
Statements
SIDI MOHAMED OULD BOUBACAR (Mauritania), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said 38 per cent of the world’s refugees were in Africa, 11 million of which were of concern to UNHCR. That number was growing at a time when the continent was faced with grave challenges, such as economic recovery and transformation, reduction in external resources, the spread of Ebola, debt crisis and food insecurity, among others. Welcoming the Office’s report and its recognition of Africa’s contributions, he noted that solutions would not be reached if root causes were not addressed. He called on the international community to redouble efforts in providing material, financial and moral support to Africa.
Turning to the Office, he encouraged it to address the issue of xenophobia, while addressing refugees and statelessness. African States were taking measures to address refugee issues, he continued, but the continent depended on burden- and responsibility-sharing. Among concerns, he said protracted refugee situations carried a risk of “abnormal situations are becoming normal”. He was also worried about existing and increasing funding gaps that had resulted in forced cuts in food rations for refugees. The comprehensive needs assessment for the current year was $2.6 billion, yet only $800 million in funding had been earmarked. Developing countries hosted more than 80 per cent of refugees, he continued, saying that a renewed commitment and shared responsibility would improve the situation.
Ramadhan M. Mwinyi (United Republic of Tanzania), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said the world had reached unprecedented displacement, with 50 million refugees worldwide and some 12 million internally displaced persons coming from Africa. The deteriorating situation in sub-Saharan Africa was evident with the grave situation of South Sudan, crisis in the Central African Republic and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the same time, the region had witnessed a decreased level of funding that had frustrated efforts of host States, contradicting the principles of responsibility- and burden-sharing.
He strongly opposed States’ over-dependency on UNHCR, highlighting that registration and refugee status determination were functions to be carried out by the host State. To address that issue, he called on the Office to bolster the capacities of host States so they could carry out those functions. Turning to the reintegration of refugees, he noted the naturalization process carried out in his country that was benefitting 162,156 former Burundian refugees. Underscoring the budgetary and cost implication of that process, he urged the international community to support its funding.
THOMAS MAYR-HARTING, Head of the European Union Delegation, remarked that 2013 had seen the highest number of refugees recorded in 20 years and the lowest number of refugees returning home in a decade. A comprehensive, long-term approach was needed to prevent forced displacement and address root causes. With the high number of large-scale emergencies last year as well as the Ebola outbreak, humanitarian response had become increasingly limited and fragile. He reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to host countries and communities worldwide. He called for more concrete action to bridge the divide between humanitarian and development actors with a view to delivering more effective assistance and protection for forcibly displaced persons, as could be seen with the Union’s comprehensive approach in Jordan and Lebanon.
But with the highest number of asylum applications to the region in decades, more than 450,000 in 2013, significant protection challenges loomed. Conflicts in the Middle East, poverty and unrest in portions of Africa and security chaos in Libya had spurred large movements of people towards Europe. The Union had taken steps to address those issues and continue its engagement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other stakeholders. It would be actively participating in the protection at sea dialogue as part of the High Commissioner’s dialogue on protection challenges. Women and children were particularly vulnerable and, for the third year, Europe had experienced record numbers of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors. He supported the draft resolution on UNHCR presented by Sweden.
JILL DERDERIAN (United States) said that her Government was a committed partner of UNHCR and would continue to support its work. This had been a challenging year and the scale of the Syrian and Iraqi crises along with emergencies in Africa had stretched the capacity of the agency’s humanitarian response. “No government or agency could meet the challenge alone,” she stressed. Nurturing long-standing partnerships must be the operational foundation of UNHCR’s work. The agency must continue to pursue a human resources policy that delivered strong performances in emergency situations. Further, her Government was pleased to see the agency shifting from a resource-driven planning process to a performance-based one.
GRIGORY LUKHYANYSEV (Russian Federation) said that the 1951 Convention and its optional protocol should remain the basic international regime for the protection of refugees. The work of UNHCR should be strictly humanitarian and not politicized. The Russian Federation supported the agency’s structural and budgetary reforms and called for further improvement of national mechanisms and capacities. In that regard, greater coordination was necessary between the agency and Governments. While his country supported the agency’s policy of finding long-term solutions, there was a need for more balanced approaches for tackling mass displacement in emergency situations. Further, his Government was concerned about the still unresolved mass statelessness in Latvia and Estonia. Russia’s federal and local authorities were taking steps to meet the needs of Ukrainian citizens forced to leave the country because of the internal armed conflict. A total of 800,000 such persons were being hosted in the Russian Federation, he said.
GUILLERMO E. RISHCHYNSKI (Canada) called for renewed international commitments to protect the most vulnerable. Noting the increased levels of persecution and repression faced by religious minorities, he said they were exposed to higher risks when displaced, as they had less access to formal support. The crises in Syria, Central African Republic, Iraq and South Sudan had tested the capacity of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he said, calling on the international community to contribute with assistance. He expressed concern over incidents of refoulement, requesting all States to respect the international protection regime. Lasting solutions to prolonged displacement also needed to be researched, he said. Other crises causing forcible displacement included epidemics like Ebola, which was not restricted to any border and was a global problem. Expressing concern over the increasing number of displaced children, he emphasized the importance to provide them with means to reclaim their childhood, including access to education.
ANTONIO DE AGUIAR PATRIOTA (Brazil) said there had been an increased collaboration between the Government of Brazil and UNHCR. In recognition of growing refugee flows into Brazil, UNHCR had recently opened a second office in São Paulo, the main entrance for refugees arriving in the country, in partnership with state and federal authorities and civil society organizations. Further, the Government attached great importance to the protection of women and children refugees. Accordingly, Brazil had contributed to the joint activities of UNCHR and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) within the No Lost Generation initiative, which aimed at providing education and protection for over 1 million Syrian children. Concluding, he welcomed UNHCR’s efforts to enhance services and assistance in the areas of public health, settlement and shelter, as well as ensure nutrition and food security through collaboration with the World Food Programme.
MAYANK JOSHI (India) said that the number of displaced people had reached more than 50 million, the highest level since the Second World War. While the statistics signified deteriorating situations and instability and violence in different parts of the world, durable solutions continued to remain in short supply, he continued. The international community needed to consistently address the causes of displacement, including inadequacy of protection, discrimination, family separation and poverty. There was a definite link between poverty and the refugee issue, he said. For now, strengthened partnerships among all stakeholders were indispensable to achieve States’ commitments to the principles of protection and non-refoulement. Thus, his country was committed to building international solidarity and burden-sharing, he said.
CHYAPAN BANRUNGPHONG (Thailand) said his delegation appreciated the generosity of host countries all around the world. Underlining the principle of burden-sharing, he emphasized that no single country should shoulder humanitarian responsibility alone. For its part, the Government had been making regular contributions to the Central Emergency Response Fund, addressing some pressing needs in crisis situations. Joining UNHCR’s commitment to finding durable solutions, he noted that the cause of irregular outflows at the areas of origin must be addressed in a systematic and concrete manner to, among other things, allow safe return as an option. In that regard, there was a need for sustainable approaches and proactive intermediate measures, cooperation and concrete actions.
OMAR RABI (Morocco) said emergencies required complex and rapid responses from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A fourth of the world’s refugees were in Africa, he noted, and their number continued to grow. He applauded efforts made by sub-Saharan African countries, which had shown hospitality and solidarity to the refugees. Noting with concern the lack of funds to assist refugees, especially for prolonged periods, he called on the international community to assist the Office to discharge its mandate. He also noted the need for greater mobilization to assist West African countries in tackling the Ebola virus.
TARO TSUTSUMI (Japan) said his country would provide $50 million in emergency assistance to the Middle East aimed at preventing extremism from taking root while responding to the region’s humanitarian crises. Turning to the refugee situation in Africa, he mentioned $17 million in assistance. New guiding principles on the country’s official development assistance (ODA) emphasized goals such as high-quality economic growth, ensuring the rule of law and realizing a peaceful and stable society. Japan would also place emphasis on the perspective of human security, which focused on respect for the dignity of every individual, with a focus on women’s rights.
HILDE KLEMETSDAL (Norway) said the international humanitarian system was under enormous pressure and the capacities of UNHCR and its partners had been stretched to the limits. Accordingly, there was a stronger need to build partnerships to find common and sustainable solutions. While protection continued to be a serious challenge, different responses were needed to ensure the protection of women, men, boys and girls affected by conflict. It was also concerning that each year, millions of people suffered from the impact of floods, storms and other weather-related disasters. Expressing her delegation’s strong support for the draft resolution on the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, she called upon Member States to cooperate to address the needs of displaced people across international borders.
MONIA AL-SALEH (Syria) said her Government was working with UNHCR as well as national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide the best solutions to Syrian refugees living in neighbouring countries. However, Syria was deeply concerned about deteriorating conditions of Syrians living in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey, where they were trained by terrorists to commit massacres in Syria. It was also concerning that the majority of those refugees lacked access to legal counselling and education, in addition to being subjected to various forms of violence. In that regard, her Government called upon host countries to implement an immediate action plan to protect Syrian refugees and enable them to return to Syria.
MESBAH ANSARI DOGAHEH (Iran) said that his country continued to host one of the largest protracted refugee situations of the world, nearly 70 per cent of whom were Afghans. The High Commissioner had commended his Government for its progressive policy of ensuring that all refugee children attended school and for providing work permits and health insurance to refugees. UNHCR’s Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees in South-West Asia exemplified a holistic approach and Iran had made significant efforts under that initiative. Not enough efforts had been made, however, by the international community to enable Afghan refugees to return to their country. Voluntary repatriation to their motherland was an inalienable right, he stressed, and Iran called on Member States to allocate the necessary funds for that and other relevant projects for Afghan refugees in his country.
KAMEL CHIR (Algeria) noted with concern the emergency situations in Central African Republic, South Sudan and Syria, stressing the need to address the protracted refugee situations. Particular emphasis should be placed on the search for durable solutions. The underlying causes of such situations should also be addressed in order to create the conditions for voluntary repatriation, in safety and dignity. Refugees living for prolonged periods were mainly in developing countries, he added, calling for enhanced international solidarity and continued support for host countries. His country hosted 1 of the 30 protracted refugee situations, the Saharawi refugees from the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara, he continued, who were waiting for voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity as part of the implementation of a durable solution, based on the full and fair exercise of the right to self-determination.
AHMED EL-SHANDAWILY (Egypt) noted the links between development, peace and security, and called for addressing the inherent causes of conflicts. Capacity-building for States emerging from conflict was essential, he said. Helping States to achieve sustainable development and restore security and respect for human rights was prerequisite to enabling the return of refugees. The principles of international solidarity and effective partnerships in sharing the burdens and responsibilities of protecting and supporting refugees should be respected, he added, pending the voluntary return of refugees to their homelands or their resettlement in third countries.
ZAYTOON ABDULLAH (Iraq) welcomed the efforts being undertaken by UNCHR. She said that due to terrorist groups occupying part of her country, more than one million Iraqis had been displaced. Despite long-standing challenges, the Government had been working hard to address problems stemming from those challenges. It also aimed at mitigating the suffering of Iraqis. In conclusion, her delegation called upon the international community to deal with the terrorist groups in her country in order to enable Iraqis to safely return to their home country.
MASOOD KHAN (Pakistan) underlined the continuing relevance and important role of UNHCR. While the plight of new refugees demanded more immediate attention, protracted refugee situations around the world must not be ignored. Pakistan had hosted millions of refugees over the years, most being from Afghanistan. Continuing instability had discouraged voluntary return, leading to a protracted refugee situation in Pakistan, which had resulted in serious socio-economic consequences for the local people. Accordingly, his delegation called upon the international community to take serious steps towards the creation of a safe and conducive environment for Afghan refugees in their homeland, where they could return voluntarily.
FERDOSA ABDULKADIR (Ethiopia) noted a rapid increase in the millions of people being uprooted from their place of origin, especially in the Horn of Africa and in the Middle East. As a host country for refugees, she said her Government had approved new legislative frameworks to better assist them and facilitate repatriation. Efforts to seek long-term solutions included an initiative that allowed refugees to live outside of camps and enrol in primary and secondary schools as well as universities. She then noted a decline in asylum seekers and voluntary returns in Somalia. Investing in peacebuilding and basic infrastructure would contribute to the return of refugees, as exemplified by over 600,000 repatriated Somali refugees. As the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, she called on the international community to allocate appropriate funding to UNHCR.
YAO SHAOJUN (China) said armed conflict and man-made and natural disasters were increasing the number of refugees and internally displaced persons. Refugees also experienced increasing xenophobia. Against that backdrop, he said, the international community must have a heightened sense of responsibility in addressing the root causes of those issues. Efforts were needed to solve regional disputes through mediation and de-escalate armed conflicts, he added. The international community needed to adhere to international principles of solidarity and burden-sharing while dealing with the refugee problem. Echoing the call of the High Commissioner, he emphasized the need for a more equal and balanced global development partnership, which sought to achieve sustainable development and consequently a permanent solution to the refugee problem. Technical assistance was needed, he added, with the aim of developing capacities for coordination and cooperation between origin, hosting and destination countries.
ANDREW KIHURANI (Kenya) stated that his country hosted over 600,000 refugees from 36 different nationalities, the largest number in Africa. The influx of refugees had not only overwhelmed the services and facilities in the camps, but also degraded the environment and its scarce resources, straining Kenya’s capacity as a host state. Further, the number of African refugees being resettled in third countries had drastically declined in recent years. Highlighting the tripartite agreement signed by his Government, that of Somalia and UNHCR to establish a framework for supporting voluntary returns of refugees from Kenya to Somalia, he asked the agency to allocate funds to implement the agreement.
HAMAD MUSA (Sudan) said his Government had been generous to refugees, ensuring that they had shelter and stability in accordance with the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Over the years, Sudan had hosted large numbers of refugees from various countries, most being from South Sudan. In cooperation with UNHCR and other entities in line with the principle of burden-sharing, the Government had coordinated a number of activities. However, internal conflict had been a factor causing Sudanese people to leave for neighbouring countries. In that regard, he called for support and partnership, which benefitted all and ensured a dignified return for refugees.
KATHRIN NESCHER (Liechtenstein) said the current total number of people displaced by conflict and persecution was the highest since the Second World War. According to the most recent numbers, she continued, there were more than 50 million forcibly displaced individuals. Accordingly, her delegation believed that the situation of internally displaced persons required particular attention, since they accounted for almost two thirds of the total number of people displaced by violence and conflict. Also, she stressed that States needed to invest in prevention, work on preparedness and create policies to deal with displacement before it occurred. Concluding, she noted that the international community must shift its focus from humanitarian assistance to long-term development assistance for internally displaced persons by creating durable solutions and preventive work.
HAHN CHOONG-HEE (Republic Of Korea) said UNHCR had carried out notable achievements even as its operating environment had become more insecure and unpredictable. His delegation appreciated the agency’s mandated lead role in providing international protection for refugees and the High Commissioner’s efforts to equip field staff and partners with relevant guidelines. Regarding the agency’s core mandate of protecting refugees and other persons of concern, he urged UNHCR to live up to its own mission and objectives. He stressed the principle of non-refoulement, a central component of the 1951 Refugee Convention. It was worrisome that there were still “North Korean refugees and asylum seekers” who were repatriated “against their will”. He noted that partners, including NGOs, were carrying out an increasing share of the agency’s programme. He called on UNHCR to ensure that the principles of partnership were fully understood and integrated at the field level and to hold its staff accountable for exhibiting good partnership behaviour at all levels.
GIZEM SUCUOĞLU (Turkey) noted the multiple health and humanitarian crises facing the world, which caused the displacement of over 50 million persons. As that situation put at serious risk the world’s peace and security, she said finding lasting solutions was necessary. Recognizing the central role played by UNHCR in delivering assistance to asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons, she noted that the Office was financially and operationally stretched. Turning to the World Humanitarian Summit of 2016, she said, innovative solutions were needed to improve access to displaced populations. More multisectoral and sustainable approaches should be created, she added, to bridge the gap between humanitarian and development assistance in responding to the needs of internally displaced persons and refugees. Also, immediate protection, humanitarian health and education needs of refugees and internally displaced persons should be addressed, as well as helping them to sustain existing livelihoods.
USMAN SARKI (Nigeria) said efforts should be made to ensure that displaced people could return to peaceful and productive lives and that they did not remain in protracted displacement situations. Forced displacement had exposed people to various risks, including recruitment into armed groups, sexual violence, armed attacks, abductions and trafficking. Indeed, he continued, the risks were greater for women and girls. In that regard, it was essential that governments worked closely with development agencies, humanitarian actors and other stakeholders to shape durable solutions and strategies for refugees and internally displaced persons. However, despite progress made in finding solutions, new and ongoing emergencies in Africa were causing massive internal displacement resulting in an increase in the number of refugees. Thus, his delegation acknowledged the important role of hosting States in the protection of refugees. Cognizant of the problems on the continent, his country had hosted refugees from other countries over the years.
CHRISTINE ELISABETH LOEW (Switzerland) said a succession of worsening crises was causing population displacement on an unprecedented scale. Rejecting the forced displacements in violation of international humanitarian law, she condemned the deliberate attacks on humanitarian personnel and the denial of access to vulnerable populations. She called on all actors, States, armed groups and civil society, who were capable of influencing respect for universal standards, to make every effort to end violations of the fundamental rights of civilian populations and in particular abuses targeting women and children.
XAVIER LASSON MENDOZA (Ecuador) spoke of his country’s long history caring for asylum seekers and refugees. In the 1970s, he added, Ecuador had assisted people from different Latin American countries fleeing from dictatorships. Currently, it hosted the highest number of refugees in the region, with numbers reaching over 60,000 citizens of more than 70 countries. To address the many requests of asylum seekers, he continued, the Government had put in place a system that included training for armed forces, prosecution, ministries and media to disseminate information on the rights of refugee populations. Refugees had no restrictions on their mobility and they were not confined to camps as they enjoyed the same rights and obligations as Ecuadorians, he added. As access to free education and health care were guaranteed, more than 27,000 refugees had studied in state schools and more than 65,000 had been cared for in public health centres. Refugees exercised full rights, he said, including the right of non-refoulement.
FAKHRI ALIYEV (Azerbaijan) said that, over the past decade, violence against displaced people had grown. Armed conflict and civil war had challenged peace and security and resulted in the highest number in decades of people seeking refuge outside their country boundaries. The international community, he said, needed to create a more systematic approach to ensure the safety of refugees and displaced people. For its part, the Government had taken significant steps to improve the lives of refugees and displaced people, including providing shelter, sanitation and food. Accordingly, his country welcomed the role of UNHCR in collaborating with Member States in providing protection and assistance to refugees and addressing challenges they were facing.
Maja Šimunić (Croatia) stressed the importance of capacity-building in host countries and countries of return. For sustainable returns, the overall functioning of State institutions, including the processes of reconciliation and tolerance-building, remained crucial. UNHCR had recommended ending refugee status for those displaced from Croatia. That recommendation was an acknowledgement of the progress made in resolving the refugee situation in Southeast Europe. It was also groundbreaking because, for the first time, the recommendation was complemented with suggestions for durable solutions. The four countries of the region should seize the opportunity to renew their commitment to consistently implementing durable solutions at regional and national levels within clearly set timelines.
ANA ILIĆ (Serbia), aligning her delegation with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union, said that as a country with the greatest number of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, her Government was firmly committed to finding durable solutions for displaced persons. But finding the solution was a process that could not be found by decrees or arbitrary deadlines. Therefore, her delegation disagreed with the contents and manner of publication of the UNHCR recommendation for the cessation of refugee status of refugees from Croatia who were displaced between 1991 and 1995. Further, Serbia believed that in the context of finding durable solutions, all internally displaced persons must be given an opportunity to choose between return and local integration.
HELEN OBREGON, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said to address issues of internally displaced persons, the international community needed to improve conflict prevention and resolution as well as ensure greater protection for civilians affected by armed conflict. Improved compliance with existing rules would both significantly reduce the need for civilians to flee their homes as well as allow them to return when hostilities ceased, she added. Through proximity with displacement-affected communities, the Committee sought to gain an understanding on the causes of displacement, seeking a dialogue with all stakeholders, including non-State armed groups. Through that dialogue, it raised humanitarian concerns, reminded parties of their obligations under humanitarian law and urged them to take necessary preventative or remedial action.
ANNE CHRISTENSEN of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the number of displaced people in the world was overwhelming the capacities of governments, humanitarian organizations and host communities. The Federation was working to meet the demands of refugees and internally displaced persons in many countries, including Lebanon, Turkey and Syria. While issues of displacement were well-recognized in conflict situations, it was also important to remember those who had been displaced by natural disasters, she added. Climate change and urbanization had significantly increased the number of extreme weather events, exposing people to natural hazards, she continued, saying that “one meter of sea-level rise will result in the displacement of 25 to 30 million people”. As humanitarian organizations alone could not respond to the needs of displaced, she said it was important to bridge humanitarian and development approaches to displacement.
Right of Reply
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, a representative of Morocco said the camps in his country were managed neither by UNHCR nor the host country. Rather, he continued, they were managed by an armed group. Further, he said, the Security Council was examining the issue, about which the Moroccan proposal was serious and credible.
Also speaking in exercise of the right of reply, a representative of Armenia said when governments were unable to provide necessary aid, the international community should step in. Accordingly, his delegation was disappointed by the statement made by Azerbaijan’s representative on the issue of refugees and displaced people, which had turned into “anti-Armenian propaganda”.
Also speaking in exercise of the right of reply, a representative of Algeria said his country was ready to undertake measures regarding the Western Sahara refugee situation and the right to self-determination without political constraint.
Also exercising the right of reply, a representative of Azerbaijan said Armenia was violating international peace and security and there could be no doubt about their objective of occupying Azerbaijani territories.
Taking the floor for a second time, the representative of Morocco said, as various United Nations reports had underlined, there had been ongoing human rights violations in the Tindouf camps.
Also taking the floor for a second time, the representative of Armenia said Azerbaijan was “throwing lies” against his country, reminding that it had been 21 years since a resolution was adopted on the issue.
The representative of Algeria, speaking for a second time, said a census of refugees was essential in the political process of the Western Sahara issue. He also responded to allegations made by the Moroccan delegate regarding human rights violations in the Tindouf camps.
Azerbaijan’s delegate, taking the floor for a second time, said 21 years had passed since Security Council resolutions were adopted in relation to the country’s situation. Those resolutions called for the immediate end of the conflict as well as the return of all refugees and internally displaced persons. Armenia had ignored those resolutions.