Gobran Mohamed
CAIRO: An Egyptian ambassador has expressed deep concern over the growing number of refugees and displaced persons, as he appealed for more funding for the UN refugee agency.
Ahmed Ihab Gamaleldin, Egypt’s permanent representative at the UN office, the World Trade Organization and other international bodies in Geneva, said that refugee numbers now exceeded 100 million around the world and that developing countries hosted about 83 percent of them.
His comments came as he delivered the statement of the Arab Group at the 73rd session of the executive committee of the UNHCR.
He added that there were more than 17 million people who fall under the mandate of the UNHCR in the region, meaning Arab states bear huge responsibilities that have grave economic, social, and political implications.
“Despite the social and economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that the world witnessed, the countries of the region continued to host and protect refugees and to fulfill their obligations in accordance with the relevant principles of international law,” Gamaleldin said.
A shortfall in UNHCR funding meant that the suffering of refugees increases and adds to the burden of their host communities, he said.
Gamaleldin said that the Arab donor countries have not and would not hesitate to provide support for the efforts of the UNHCR, and called for concerted international efforts to ease the burden on host countries.
He emphasized the need to find a peaceful settlement to all conflicts in the region, eliminate terrorism, address the causes of instability, and strive to enhance cooperation across the humanitarian, development, peace, and security sectors.