The Forum, the world’s largest meeting dedicated to refugee issues, is co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland and convened by Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan and Uganda.
It brings together Member States, civil society, financial institutions, private companies and more than 300 refugee advocates.
Shattered dreams, shattered lives
Setting the tone for the discussion, Mr. Grandi said that 114 million “represents the number of refugees and displaced persons driven from their homes by persecution, human rights violations, violence, armed conflict and serious public disorder: 114 million shattered dreams, disrupted lives, dashed hopes.”
© UNHCR/Pierre Albouy
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi gives his keynote speech during the orientation session at the Global Refugee Forum 2023.
He stressed the need to tackle the root causes of displacement and emphasized the humanitarian obligation to help people uprooted by “ongoing crises” in places such as Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Other hotspots include growing insecurity in the Sahel, he said, “the dramatic population flows across the Americas, the Mediterranean and the Bay of Bengal, and many others,” largely fueled by the lack of political solutions to conflicts.
Success factors
Reflecting on what has been achieved since the very first global forum on the issue in 2019, the High Commissioner said at the time: “we had the foundation for success. Today, these ingredients have grown into a driving force that can take us much further.”
That potential has grown into a powerful force, he said, thanks to the collective efforts of many, including states, NGOs, local and refugee-led organizations, sports organizations, financial institutions, religious leaders, academia, private companies and concerned citizens.
He noted the same positive “whole of society” spirit evident in the Global Compact on Refugees.
But he also warned that UNHCR is $400 million short of its fundraising target “to end the year with minimum resources needed,” adding that he was deeply concerned about the prospects for next year.
Gaza: ‘A major human catastrophe’
Mr. Grandi called the situation in Gaza “a major human catastrophe” that reflected failures in the Security Council and expressed fear of further civilian death and suffering, and displacement that could threaten the entire region.
He reiterated the UN Secretary General’s call for an immediate and lasting humanitarian ceasefire, the release of hostages and a real solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of UNRWA, the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees, came directly to the forum for the distressed region.
He told delegates that the people of Gaza were “running out of time and options as they face bombardment, hardship and disease in a shrinking space. They are confronted with the darkest chapter in their history since 1948”.
The head of UNRWA added that “there is absolutely no alternative to a real political process to end the cycle of violence,” which would allow both sides to enjoy statehood, peace and stability.
Days of intensive work
Concluding his address, the High Commissioner called for the forum to be “a moment of unity, in which we all join forces to ensure that those who flee because their lives, freedom and security are threatened can find protection; and that every effort be made to resolve their exile as quickly as possible.”
With its extensive three-day programme, the forum will focus on a wide range of topics, including the need for gender equality, the scourge of gender-based violence, healthcare, education, rights of refugee children, employment, housing and much more.
The opening day will conclude with a ceremony honoring the winners of the 2023 Nansen Refugee Award.
