A/70/PV.59 General Assembly

This meeting seeks to shed light on one of the most pressing humanitarian situations in our world today. As we speak, States bordering the Mediterranean basin are faced with unprecedented movements of migrants and refugees. Since January, more than 880,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Europe by land and sea routes. The great majority of these people are fleeing conflicts, violence, persecution and human rights violations, yet a number of them have become victims for a second time owing to migrant smuggling and human trafficking. Even more tragically, more than 3,500 of them have already died on the route this year. The case of the more than 12 million displaced Syrian men, women and children deserves special attention, as does that of Syria’s neighbours, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, and the other countries in the region that have been bearing the brunt of the crisis since its very beginning. As the letter from the Permanent Representative of Turkey relating to this meeting stated so well, it is neither possible nor just to expect those neighbours, or the other countries in the region that host large numbers of displaced persons, asylum-seekers and refugees, to *1538219* 15-38219 (E) face the migratory pressures and the risks and threats alone. Clearly, the situation in the Mediterranean affects countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, East and West Africa and the Horn of Africa in different ways. But its resolution requires a collective response from the international community, encompassing different policies and measures ranging from the protection of human rights to humanitarian and development cooperation; from institution-building to security and justice. Many States have sought to respond in a manner consistent with the values of the Organization, but it is clear that a number of them, both those hosting large numbers of refugees and those receiving large influxes, are struggling under a heavy burden and facing peak political challenges domestically. Fear has naturally increased in the light of the recent wave of terrorist attacks perpetrated by Daesh, but we must not allow that fear to turn to prejudice, irrationality or xenophobia. During such moments, Governments must lead by example, by meeting their moral and legal obligations, thereby demonstrating to the world that compassion and unity will ultimately always trump hatred and division. That was the key message from yesterday’s informal meeting on the broader global humanitarian and refugee crisis. That meeting focused on three issues of direct relevance to today’s meeting. On protection, there were calls for priority to be given to the most vulnerable displaced persons, particularly women and children; for action to be taken to secure access to education and health care for displaced people; for the integrity of the refugee system to be respected; and for third-country resettlement to be seen as a central part of the humanitarian response. On financing, there was much discussion about what could be done to fill the current financing gap, including by facilitating the mobilization of more resources from traditional donors, the private sector, innovative instruments and new donors. The need for multi-year planning and financing and for the provision of non-earmarked funding was also highlighted as crucial. Many, however, are also demanding more efficient humanitarian action and greater harmonization across the humanitarian and development community. There was considerable focus on the links between development and fragility and a reminder that meeting our new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) required action in all countries, particularly in conflict-affected countries, where more than 30 per cent of the world’s poor reside. At the same time, countries were encouraged to meet their commitment to 0.7 per cent of gross national income in official development assistance, thereby ensuring that adequate resources are available for both humanitarian and development needs. Finally, on the need to support the countries currently shouldering the greatest burden in this crisis, there were strong statements of support from other Member States and from the United Nations system and the World Bank. They stated that resettlement and greater financing would clearly ease the pressure somewhat, but that overall there was a need to adapt humanitarian and development responses to the fact that most of these countries were middle-income countries and that most of these crises were not short- term in nature but were protracted and existed alongside traditional development challenges. I look forward to hearing the views of representatives on these and other issues relating to this agenda item. I stand ready to support delegations however I can, so that the international community advances a more comprehensive response to the situation in the Mediterranean, Syria and elsewhere in the weeks and months ahead. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General.

I thank you, Sir, for convening this important meeting. A record 60 million people have been forced from their homes. Tragedies are multiplying, especially for the Syrian people. Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and all first-asylum countries have generously supported millions of desperate people. I applaud them, but having so few countries bear the global responsibility is simply not a sustainable solution. We need a new approach to manage the challenges of global mobility, built on equitable responsibility- sharing. Today I will underscore five priority areas for our response, and I will set out our road map ahead. First, we must address root causes. We are doing everything possible to address the conflict in Syria. At the same time, we are working to prevent, mediate and resolve violence and tensions in the region and beyond. I ask that we invest more resources and political will in our prevention tools. It is also time to break the silence surrounding poor governance, growing inequalities and human rights violations, including the oppression of women. These are major factors pushing people from their homes. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) can dramatically advance progress. I call on all countries to see development as a moral imperative and strategic bulwark against instability. Secondly, we must manage large flows of people. We need to develop better ways to receive large groups of migrants and refugees and to process their claims for protection and refugee status. Criminal networks must be brought to justice, and we must end the demand for their services. That means shorter and better-managed transits. It demands safer and legal paths such as family reunification, student visas, humanitarian visas, private sponsorships, labour mobility schemes and more places for resettlement. Thirdly, we must protect human rights. We must uphold the human rights of migrants and refugees, especially in the face of rising xenophobia and discrimination. In the wake of terrorist attacks I am deeply concerned about misplaced suspicions about migrants and refugees, especially those who are Muslim. We must be on guard against such distortions and discrimination, which only play into the hands of terrorists trying to sow divisions and fear. We must respond not by closing doors but by opening our hearts with unity, tolerance, pluralism and compassion. That will foster true solidarity. We cannot cede any ground, legal or moral, in countering violent extremists. The rights to asylum and non-refoulement must be upheld. Any fears about terrorists hiding among refugees only support the argument for a managed approach. Millions of refugees who have lost everything to violence and oppression want to end those threats more than anyone. They can potentially be a major constituency in combating violent extremism; so can the world’s young people. I remind the Assembly that almost half of the 60 million forcibly displaced are children. I repeat my call to empower today’s young peacebuilders. Fourthly, we must increase financing, as the needs vastly overwhelm resources. That is why I have set up the High-level Panel on Humanitarian Financing. I count on its experts to provide recommendations to mobilize more resources and to use them more efficiently. In the meantime, I appeal to Member States to be generous at this time of immense need and to fund all underfunded humanitarian appeals. Such donations should not come at the expense of development aid, which remains essential. Fifthly, we must adopt a global approach. No country alone can solve a problem that is inherently international. We will find answers through a collective push that transcends narrow, short-term interests. We are building on our cooperation with the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. With the right global arrangements we can make the most of regional resources. The road ahead is full of challenges, but we have a map to navigate them. The Vienna negotiating track is moving forward in addressing the key root cause: the catastrophic conflict in Syria. Together with the Governments of the United Kingdom, Norway, Kuwait and Germany, I will co-host a conference on the Syrian humanitarian crisis on 4 February next year in London. Our goal is to raise significant new funding for all those affected within Syria while supporting Syria’s neighbours. The London conference will also seek ways to create jobs and provide education to foster hope. In addition, I have asked the High Commissioner for Refugees to convene a resettlement-plus conference in March. It will galvanize pledges to resettle or otherwise help place the more than 3 million people who have been displaced as a result of the Syrian conflict and violence in the region. Then, at the end of May 2016, the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, will offer a chance to reshape the global humanitarian agenda. The Summit will address financing, including by the private sector, while addressing humanitarian challenges. And in September next year, I propose to Member States that I convene, just one day before the general debate, a high-level summit on managing large-scale movements of migrants and refugees. I understand that the President of the General Assembly is also considering convening a high-level thematic debate on these issues. We need a new global compact on responsibility- sharing. That would help prevent the future destabilization of whole nations and regions. To guide the discussions at this Summit, I should like to submit a report to the General Assembly on models for comprehensive solutions based on global responsibility- sharing, which I would develop in close consultations with Member States. I count on the support of Member States for this proposal and on their political will to craft a response that respects international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. By doing so, we will advance global progress on a fundamental issue in international cooperation and help to secure our common future in a troubled world.

I should like now to consult members with a view to giving the floor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. António Guterres. If there is no objection, may I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly, and without setting a precedent, to invite the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to give a briefing.

In accordance with the decision just taken, I now give the floor to Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The number of people who have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe keeps growing very quickly, an average of 5,000 a day just in Greece in recent weeks. This movement is getting far more media attention than any other humanitarian crisis in the past few years, but as the Secretary-General said, it is one of many large-scale refugee flows throughout the world today. Handling the situation effectively requires us to start addressing the root causes of displacement everywhere. But the topic today is the Mediterranean, where it is clear that the enormous spike in the number of arrivals in Greece is to a large extent a result of the conflict in Syria, amplified recently by the impact of massive media coverage and the active campaign by smugglers. The refugee crisis has been growing steadily for years, with now almost 4.3 million registered refugees in the countries surrounding Syria. Many have lost hope that the fighting will stop soon, and as long as it does not, people will continue to flee. In addition, after so many years in exile, refugees have no more savings left, and living conditions have been deteriorating rapidly. In Lebanon, 70 per cent live in extreme poverty, and in Jordan, the proportion of refugees in urban areas falling below the Jordanian poverty line is 86 per cent. Families are struggling to survive, and half of all Syrian refugee children are not getting any education. All of this was exacerbated by the recent dramatic humanitarian funding shortfall that caused reductions in food assistance and other support and made many refugees feel that the international community was starting to abandon them. The humanitarian response system does not have today the capacity to meet even the most basic needs of all the people we are supposed to help, and unless something changes dramatically in the way we finance the humanitarian response, more lives will be lost and more desperate people will see no choice but to move on in search of safety and a minimum of human dignity. One of the key elements of that change should be a much closer link between humanitarian and development interventions, which means that development actors, supported by development budgets, should be brought in to work with humanitarians from the very beginning of each crisis. Large-scale humanitarian crises can create enormous structural problems for host countries — just look at the huge impact the refugee influx has had on Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. But these are middle-income countries and are therefore forgotten or excluded from many instruments of development cooperation. That is something that needs to be changed. We need a fundamental review of the strategies and policies of bilateral and multilateral development cooperation. Refugee-hosting countries, which are also a first line of defence for all of us in regions troubled by conflict and terrorism, must be a first priority in international development cooperation. The other point I want to make today is about security, which in many places has dominated the discussion about refugees since the terrible attacks of the past few weeks. I have been in government service, and I know that every Government has the strict obligation to care for the security of its own citizens. But let me make it clear that refugee flows are the result of terrorism and war, not its source. Refugees are fleeing events very much like those of Paris or Beirut, events that have been happening in their home towns, every month, every week, for the past few years. And fear and rejection of refugees — especially Muslim refugees, as the Secretary-General has reminded us — is precisely the wrong answer to extremist threats. This is above all a battle of values. If one loses one’s values, one loses the battle. A Western world that rejects Muslim refugees would provide extremists with the best propaganda tool they could wish for in the recruitment of new supporters, including inside the very countries that might think they could protect themselves by closing their borders. Refugees should not divert attention from the risks created by home-grown radical movements. One has only to look at the thousands of European fighters that are today in Syria and Iraq. The chaotic movement of people from Greece through the Western Balkans and northwards is also largely the result of the absence of a united and comprehensive European response to the crisis. Since the very beginning we have been insisting on the need to put in place, at the points of entry, the required reception capacity to allow for the humane and effective accommodation, assistance, registration and screening of the thousands of people arriving every day and to identify those who are in need of protection, those who should be relocated to all other countries in the European Union in accordance with fair distribution criteria, and those who do not qualify for refugee protection but for whom effective and dignified return mechanisms have to be put in place. In the absence of a robust reception and screening capacity and a fair distribution of responsibilities, the only ones who are in control of the situation are the smuggling networks operating in the open, whose unscrupulous activities have already cost the lives of nearly 3,500 people in the Mediterranean Sea this year. Much more has to be done to crack down on smugglers and traffickers, but in ways that allow their victims to be protected. We need to provide those fleeing the Syria crisis, and others uprooted by conflicts that are no less violent but far less visible, with safe, legal alternatives to the chaotic and dangerous smuggling routes they are forced to take today in order to reach safety. This means more resettlement and humanitarian admissions, more flexible visa arrangements, more private sponsorship programmes and other possibilities. Many efforts have been made in this regard, and I very much welcome all the recent announcements by Governments that have underlined the importance of these elements in addressing the global crisis. But much more is needed, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in close consultation with the Secretary-General, will, as he mentioned, be convening a high-level meeting on global responsibility-sharing and other forms of admission for Syrian refugees, including resettlement. It will take place early next year and aims at mobilizing significant additional commitments. I hope that in the end compassion, solidarity and tolerance will prevail.

It is a great pleasure for me to attend this very timely meeting of the General Assembly. At the outset, we thank the President of the General Assembly for scheduling the meeting and for his strong remarks. We also thank High Commissioner Guterres for his decade-long service dedicated to helping and advocating for the needs of refugees. Today’s meeting is the first under agenda item 130, “Global awareness of the tragedies of irregular migrants in the Mediterranean basin, with specific emphasis on Syrian asylum-seekers”. Turkey proposed the inclusion of this item in the agenda of the General Assembly’s seventieth session. We did so because we wanted to demonstrate our faith in the United Nations and its membership, and to increase global awareness of the hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants and refugees on the move in our region and beyond. However, this is not Turkey’s agenda item per se. We proposed it with the hope that the international community would show genuine interest and take ownership of this issue. In times of crises of such magnitude the international community resorts to the United Nations. We have to provide a response, and the General Assembly is the right place to do this. The crisis in Syria has caused the world’s largest humanitarian tragedy. Almost half of the country’s population — approximately 12 million — has been displaced. More than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. As a neighbour to Syria, Turkey is deeply affected by this tragedy. Despite all challenges, we continue to pursue an open-door policy towards all Syrians. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Turkey hosts more refugees than any other country in the world today. Our country is home to 2.5 million Syrians and Iraqis. Adding to that number is an average of 110 babies who are born every day in protection centres alone. Our aim is to save as many people as we can and to improve the living conditions of those who have made it to our homeland. But as a solution to the crisis lingers, the number of those who attempt the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean to European shores has been increasing dramatically. That is why the Turkish Coast Guard has initiated new operations to save lives at sea. The number of migrants rescued at sea in 2015 has increased fivefold in comparison with 2014. Syrians in Turkey, both in protection centres and in urban areas, are provided with food, non-food items, health care, education services, psychological support, vocational training and social activities. Turkey will continue to provide protection and assistance to those in need and save the lives of distressed migrants and asylum-seekers. It is, however, becoming increasingly clear that we and the other front-line countries, faced with thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers a day, cannot cope with the crisis alone. The truth is that there is a lack of solidarity in the international community. That makes the Syrian crisis worse than it has to be. The world is facing what has been called the biggest humanitarian tragedy since the Second World War. We should face this responsibility together and share the burden. With this understanding in mind, I believe yesterday’s meeting and today’s debate will be instrumental in several ways. First, our discussions will deepen the understanding that a sustainable solution to migration and refugee issues cannot be reached unless the root causes, such as wars, conflicts and economic deprivation in source countries, are addressed. It will also require that other factors and phenomena, such as climate change, are handled meaningfully, and that the resilience and prevention agenda is advanced. We should take action, not only in the aftermath of epidemics and natural disasters, but before them, with effective early warning in place. We should thus take advantage of the fact that the General Assembly brings together different intergovernmental processes that include the instruments and targets to address these root causes. These include the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which sets goals and targets to better reap the benefits of migration. Tackling the root causes of forced or involuntary migration is a key element of Agenda Goal 10. Agenda Goal 16, dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, is equally important. We have to advance and implement these targets resolutely. Secondly, we have to acknowledge that we are facing a global crisis. The political crises in the Mediterranean basin continue to cause massive waves of forced displacements. But the flow of migrants and refugees does not stop there. In global terms this is but the tip of the iceberg. Dramatic events in the Horn of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, the Gulf of Aden and Eastern Europe show us that this is a systemic challenge for the long term. Given the complex and cross-border nature of the migration crisis, international cooperation and solidarity are indispensable in finding political solutions to the problems. Uniting our individual and regional efforts under the United Nations umbrella would make this effort more effective. Thirdly, we require a new model of thinking and cooperation among the source, transit and destination countries. The current way of looking at humanitarian assistance cannot provide long-term solutions to the challenges we face. This is not about charity. International assistance has to be seen as a long- term investment in our collective security, peace and prosperity. Our societies are increasingly connected to one another. Whether we are donors, recipients or both, we share a responsibility towards those who are most vulnerable, no matter where they are. Funding for the urgent needs of refugees and asylum-seekers, as well as for longer-term development efforts, are essential. Resources for one of these areas should not come at the expense of the other. Turkey believes that reducing development assistance to refugees is not only counterproductive but dangerous to the global order. That is why we will continue to increase our development and humanitarian assistance for those in need. In line with this, capacity-building activities for Governments and societies will remain an integral part of our efforts. In that regard, we hope that the donors conference for Syria to be held in February 2016 in London will provide new and meaningful funding. It should address not only the needs of the millions of Syrians displaced inside their country, but also the ones under the protection of neighbouring countries. Following that conference, the World Humanitarian Summit will be held at the level of Heads of State and Government in Istanbul on 23 and 24 May 2016. That Summit will be a vital opportunity for the international community to upgrade its methods and synchronize its perspectives. Combining the efforts of humanitarian assistance with development tools should be a priority of the Summit and could yield long-lasting results. Lastly, we strongly believe that international migration, and particularly irregular migration, cannot be managed by Governments alone. Governments need the cooperation of other stakeholders, including international organizations, civil society and the private sector. With that in mind, we have undertaken the chairmanship of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) for the term 2014-2015 to share our experience in the humane and efficient management of multiple issues arising from international migration in a new era of mobility. Our overarching theme, “Strengthening partnerships: human mobility for sustainable development”, not only stresses the urgency for close cooperation among all stakeholders, but also puts strong emphasis on the tremendous potential of migration to promote development. We held the eighth summit meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development recently in Istanbul from 14 to 16 October, with major participation and interest from throughout the world. The summit came at a time when the world’s attention was focused on migration more intently than at any time in a generation. In the face of this turmoil, it is easy to forget that migration in today’s world is a positive factor, especially from a development perspective. During the summit meeting we discussed innovative ways to improve migration as a factor in development, human mobility and the well-being of migrants. With our initiative, forced migration has found a place in the GFMD agenda for the first time. In line with this approach, I should like to suggest the following topics for the General Assembly’s consideration in the days ahead. First, we should enhance the efforts of the United Nations system to respond to the global migration and refugee crisis with a particular emphasis on Syrians, and should ask the Secretariat to present a set of recommendations to this end. In this regard, we support the strengthened approach the Secretary-General has just shared with us. Secondly, we need to establish linkages between various initiatives on international migration and refugee flows, including previous and upcoming processes, such as the Valletta Summit, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change and the World Humanitarian Summit. We should look at ways in which those linkages could provide a way of strengthening our individual, regional and international efforts. Thirdly, we need to push for a more forward- looking and positive understanding of migration and refugee flows, while recognizing the social and economic contributions of migrants and refugees to the societies they live in. It is our hope that the members of the General Assembly will give serious consideration to those proposals and provide useful new ones. Migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers find themselves in some of the most desperate situations faced by the entire human race. For those of us fortunate enough to be in this Hall, the measure of our humanity is in our empathy for their predicament. By improving conditions to give them a life of dignity and equality, we can make crossing international borders a matter of informed choice, not desperation. It is therefore high time for us to act together on this issue. Turkey stands ready to work in concert with all stakeholders to address this humanitarian catastrophe.

I wish first to thank you, Sir, for hosting this timely meeting, following the high-level meeting in September, to address the unprecedented refugee crisis that is unfolding today. I should also like to extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, their families and the people of France. That assault is an affront to humanity and humankind. The Korean Government will join the efforts of the international community to eradicate terrorism. While stepping up counter-terrorism efforts we should not, however, forget that many refugees are also the victims of today’s tragic events. We are disheartened by the reports of growing concern over accepting refugees because one of the attackers in Paris may have entered Europe disguised as a refugee. But rejecting refugees and asylum-seekers out of fear of terrorism will not help defeat terrorism. It will only add to the indescribable sufferings of those who risk their lives to flee the life-threatening effects of conflict at home. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, the future does not belong to those who seek to build walls or exploit fears. More than anything, it is our moral obligation to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to these refugees. In this regard, we should come up with additional ways to reinforce security, while ensuring the protection of refugees, such as by putting in place a robust screening mechanism. In the meantime we should be mindful that this year alone around 75,000 people have risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea to get to Europe. More than 4,000 people are presumed to have drowned while making the journey. The Republic of Korea firmly believes that the dignity of refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers needs to be respected regardless of their legal status. To this end, life-saving assistance and protection for forcibly displaced people are critical. Support for their resettlement in a third country is also vital. In this regard, we highly commend the neighbouring countries of Syria and the European nations that are spearheading massive relief efforts and hosting large-scale refugee populations. Yet, despite the unprecedented efforts by the international community to respond to the crisis by providing humanitarian assistance, the crisis continues to escalate. The current humanitarian crisis illustrates once again that there is a limit to humanitarian solutions and that political solutions are key. A political solution to the Syrian crisis, which lies at the heart of the current humanitarian crisis, is urgently needed. At the same time, terrorism and violent extremism need to be eradicated. To this end, the international community must show strong political will to defeat their root causes. In this regard, we welcome the Syria peace talks held in Vienna last week where major countries came together and agreed on a tentative plan for a phased transition to an interim government and elections in Syria. As United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres pointed out, we need to focus more on creating the opportunity for people to have the possibility of a future in their own countries, and to make migration a matter of choice, not desperation, and of hope, not despair. Tackling the root causes of the current crisis will be the first step towards enabling people to have a future in their own countries. Although the international community is currently focused on the plight of the refugees from the Syrian crisis, we should not forget the refugees who continue to flee from conflicts and persecution in other parts of the world. The Republic of Korea respects core humanitarian principles, norms and laws on refugees and human rights. Korea is the first Asian country to enact a Refugee Act. In accordance with that Act, persons who are not refugees in the strict legal sense but need to be protected are accorded humanitarian status, which facilitates their resettlement in Korea. We have doubled our budget for humanitarian assistance over the past few years. While the figure may be modest compared to the generosity shown by major donor countries, the Republic of Korea has contributed around $27 million in Syrian humanitarian assistance so far, and I am pleased to announce that Korea is planning to provide additional humanitarian assistance this year in line with global efforts to assist refugees in Europe who have to survive a harsh winter. The Republic of Korea will continue to expand its humanitarian assistance and take on a greater share of responsibilities in the global response to humanitarian crises. Humanitarian action must be part of delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Support for refugees and asylum-seekers, who are the most vulnerable group in the world, will be the first step towards the implementation of the SDGs, which seek to leave no one behind and reach the furthest behind first. Last, but not least, we wish to express our full support for the Secretary-General’s initiative to hold the World Humanitarian Summit in Turkey next May. We are convinced that this Summit will provide an important opportunity to find solutions to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people, including refugees and irregular migrants. Korea reaffirms its commitment to standing in solidarity with the international community and staying vigilant in response to the refugee crisis.

I give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member States. The world is facing a dramatic and unprecedented migratory and refugee crisis. The devastating conflicts in Syria and part of Iraq, and poverty and unrest in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and West Africa, and in Libya have pushed masses of people to move to neighbouring countries and beyond. We in Europe are witnessing an unprecedented number of arrivals. In 2015 more than 1 million refugees and migrants have crossed European borders. This however is not only a European challenge, but a global one, as was highlighted in detail by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, whom I salute as he approaches the end of his successful mandate. The only way in which we can face this global challenge is to work together in building partnerships, while we build our common regional integrated responses. Only together can we manage this crisis in all its dimensions. The European Union and its member States are mobilizing all efforts to respond to the migration and refugee crisis. Allow me to give an overview of this important agenda. First, and most urgently, we are saving the lives of thousands of people at sea every week, and we are doing everything we can to rescue and protect the migrants whose lives are at risk. Secondly, we reaffirm our commitment to mobilizing all appropriate instruments and policies and supporting efforts to address the root causes of large-scale migratory flows, in particular conflicts, political instability, human rights violations, extremism, poor socioeconomic development — including lack of employment opportunities — poor governance and climate change. This also includes finding solutions to the conflicts in Syria and Libya through diplomatic initiatives here at the United Nations, as we were able to discuss yesterday regarding Syria. Thirdly, we are fighting organized crime responsible for migrant smuggling and human trafficking, while saving lives, supported by Security Council resolution 2240 (2015). To do so, we are strengthening cooperation with key countries of transit and origin. Fourthly, we continue our close cooperation with first countries of asylum, countries of origin and countries of transit to jointly address this common challenge, focusing also on improving cooperation in return, readmission and reintegration. The European Union is a leading donor of humanitarian aid and has stepped up humanitarian aid and civil protection resources to help refugees. Lastly, we must be aware that regular channels for migration and mobility can be advanced only if parallel effective measures are taken to stem flows of irregular migration. In this context, improved cooperation on the return and sustainable reintegration of irregular migrants, in line with obligations under international law and mutually agreed arrangements, as well as in full respect for human dignity and the principle of non-refoulement, must be considered a necessary element of enhanced migration and mobility policies. Just recently, European and African leaders adopted in Valletta a political declaration and an action plan with 16 concrete actions to be implemented by the end of next year. And we have inaugurated the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa with an initial commitment of more than €1.8 billion to support employment opportunities and access to social services, including for forcibly displaced populations. We, together with our African partners, have agreed to respond decisively and together manage migration flows in all their aspects, guided by the principles of solidarity, partnership and shared responsibility. We will pursue this common cause in full respect for human rights and the sovereignty of participating States, taking into account national legislations and specificities. Now it is time to act together in support of the world’s refugees and others who have been forcibly displaced. Let us therefore work in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity here at the United Nations and throughout the world to find solutions. Today let us all pay tribute to the migrants who each day make significant and essential contributions to the economic, social and cultural development of their host countries as well as to their communities back home.

First of all, allow me to thank you, Mr. President, for calling this meeting to ensure full global awareness of the tragedies being lived out among so many in the Mediterranean basin. How we deal with this grave situation will define not only our future but also who we are as human beings. In the past couple of weeks I have, with my Prime Minister, attended several meetings of Heads of Government. Some were specifically convened on the migrant and refugee crisis, such as the Valletta Summit, but all have ended up focusing on that topic. A recurring theme in all of them has been a strong call for increased cooperation and alignment of efforts and capabilities. This is the time to close ranks, leave behind rivalries and make sure that we all focus on the potential in every human being. The war in Syria so far has cost an estimated 250,000 lives and has reduced a middle-income country, rich in heritage and culture, to rubble. The hazardous journeys that millions of people are willing to embark on testify to the horrors they are fleeing. Children, the future of this region, are at the centre of the maelstrom. And as Ms. Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, underlined at the informal meeting yesterday, we are witnessing an entire generation of children who are denied education, with serious long-term consequences. We must ensure that this issue is on the list of essentials when addressing the needs of displaced persons. And as Ms. Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, highlighted to the Security Council recently, women and girls find themselves under assault every day in crisis situations. All our measures to alleviate the suffering of refugees must also take account of this fact. It has been stated by many that the only viable solution to this flow of misery is to bring peace to Syria. The meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in Vienna last weekend gives some hope for progress. But meanwhile, as we sit here, the millions of displaced need to be helped and their suffering alleviated. Even if the ISSG succeeds in implementing its agenda, there will remain millions of people in want for a considerable time. We should resist any tendency to put the burden of the recent terrorist attacks on the shoulders of refugees. Certainly the massive flow of migrants over recent months has provided opportunities for those who would seek to infiltrate our societies in order to carry out criminal acts. This we can and must counteract with effective security measures. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, has stated, it is not the refugee outflows that cause terrorism, it is terrorism, tyranny and war that create refugees. As a response to this major catastrophe, the Icelandic Government therefore decided this fall to make available an additional $16 million, half of it immediately this year. While it is a legal and moral duty to provide aid and shelter to those legitimate refugees who have made the hazardous journey to knock on our doors, Iceland believes it important to save as many as possible from making such trips in the first place. That is why my Government will concentrate contributions on international organizations working with refugees. The neighbouring countries have truly shown exemplary humanity in dealing with the brunt of the influx. They deserve our support. Of course there will be many people who nevertheless need refuge. We are increasing the number of quota refugees we take through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with emphasis on helping those in camps originating from Syria and in high-risk categories. And, finally, we will improve our procedures to speed up the whole asylum procedure and therefore make it less burdensome for the migrants themselves. Iceland will continue to work closely with UNHCR and other United Nations agencies to do its part in alleviating the suffering of those driven by conflict and terrorism from their homes. In conclusion, allow me to take this opportunity to join others in thanking Mr. António Guterres for his extraordinary and committed service as High Commissioner for Refugees.

In order to return to the focus of this debate on refugees and migration, let me start with the following quote: “We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal.” That urgent appeal was issued three months ago only 200 miles away from New York, but it was not a politician who said these impressive words; it was Pope Francis in his address to the United States Congress on 24 September. The Pope reminded us that refugees are not just an anonymous mass. They are first and foremost human beings who should be treated with humanity and dignity. How can we address the current refugee crisis in a way that takes both sides into consideration — the dramatic situation of the 60 million people worldwide who have fled their homes, and also the resources and capacities of the countries offering refuge? This question is not only the subject of this General Assembly meeting but is one of the most crucial and urgent issues on the global agenda and currently on the minds of so many in politics and society. Throughout the world many countries have taken care of large numbers of refugees and migrants. Germany in particular and Europe in general are already doing a considerable amount to support the refugees and migrants arriving in Europe. But it is obvious that no country or region can tackle the current crisis on its own. This crisis is a global crisis and therefore it requires a collective global response. We will only be able to deal with this challenge if we work together to find common solutions. What could such global solutions look like? I should like to set out six essential points. First, there is a legal basis for the global protection of refugees and their rights: the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. We have to ensure that the Geneva Convention is fully respected by all States Members of the United Nations. Secondly, we have to increase our support for the international humanitarian aid organizations that provide the most urgent assistance to refugees but are dangerously underfunded. Germany is among the three biggest bilateral donors of humanitarian aid worldwide. That brings with it huge responsibilities. Therefore we took the initiative and organized a Group of Seven- plus donor conference during the ministerial week of the General Assembly in September which produced an additional $1.8 billion for humanitarian aid. But let us be realistic. Currently much of this sum is in the form of pledges. We will all have to do our homework and to speed up the flow of money to the humanitarian organizations in order to close the gap between rising humanitarian needs and available financial resources. Thirdly, we must continue to support the neighbouring countries that are shouldering the greatest burden of the refugee and migration flow. Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have taken in the majority of refugees from Syria. The dramatic situation in the refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon is a catastrophe we cannot ignore. The numbers of refugees in the region are enormous compared with those we are talking about in Germany and other countries of the European Union. Fourthly, we in Europe also need to strengthen cooperation with African countries. The Valletta Summit on Migration last week brought together European and African countries to address the challenges but also the opportunities of migration. The Summit recognized that migration is the shared responsibility of countries of origin, transit and destination. Fifthly, as the refugee and migration crisis is a global crisis, we have to consider how we can share the responsibility in a spirit of international solidarity. We should examine whether a global resettlement scheme could make a meaningful contribution to such burden- sharing. I know that many countries, including in Europe, have concerns and oppose such a mechanism. But I am convinced that we have good arguments to address these concerns. Germany for one is ready to use its powers of persuasion to generate more acceptance for resettlement programmes, not only at the European level but also at the global level. Sixthly, and obviously the most important but also the most difficult point, we need to tackle the causes of flight and migration in the countries of origin and transit. Nobody leaves their home, family and friends voluntarily. People risk dangerous journeys to Europe and elsewhere because they are suffering from war, terror and persecution. We need to create hope and prospects for a better life, especially for the young generation. This includes promoting democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as reducing poverty, supporting socioeconomic development and sustainable growth and improving the provision of basic services such as education and health. With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), the United Nations has presented an impressive blueprint to address these root causes. Let us be serious now about its implementation. Resolving the root causes also necessarily means that we finally have to end the brutal civil war in Syria, which has claimed more than 250,000 lives and displaced more than 10 million people. We are working hard and using all diplomatic means to find a political solution that will bring about peace in Syria. The two meetings in Vienna have not yet achieved a breakthrough but they were very important as the relevant international and regional players were gathered around one table and they agreed on a first set of concrete next steps. There is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done to resolve the conflict. Now we have to make sure that we implement what was agreed in Vienna, since for the first time in years there is an opportunity to end the violence and to begin a political transition process. We have to seize this opportunity to help the suffering people in Syria. My last point is the following: the terrible terrorist attacks in Paris were a painful reminder that the conflicts of this world have come closer to us all. Terror, violence and destruction have reached the very heart of Europe. What happened in Paris was not only an attack on innocent people who wanted to enjoy a night in a football stadium, in a concert hall or in a restaurant. It was a cruel attack on our values. It was an attack on our open and liberal societies. But in the end our shared values will be stronger than terrorism. Now the international community will have to stand together and cooperate closely in order to combat terrorism. We will defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham and the like only if we fight them militarily, politically and ideologically, and we must not fall into the trap of mixing terrorism with the refugee and migration issue. The refugees who are coming to Europe from the Middle East and Africa are not terrorists. The opposite is true. They are fleeing from the same kind of terrorism that we experienced last week in Paris. In closing, Germany welcomes the initiatives just announced today by the Secretary-General. The high- level conferences to be held in Geneva next February and in New York in September 2016 will provide important platforms for the international community to coordinate and agree upon the necessary measures to address the challenges ahead. Please be assured that Germany will continue to contribute in all relevant processes to protect and assist those who are forcibly displaced.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its member States. The migration crisis presents one of the biggest challenges of our time. We cannot stand idle and watch the loss of so many lives in the Mediterranean and the hardship faced by those seeking refuge outside their country. The Netherlands underlines the importance of facing the complex migration challenges of today. In line with last week’s Valletta Summit outcome, where European and African leaders agreed to scale up their migration cooperation, the Netherlands would like to emphasize the importance of true partnerships. We strongly believe that it is urgent to establish equal partnerships to effectively respond to refugee crises and tackle their root causes — partnerships based on shared interests and responsibilities between countries of origin, transit and destination, but also partnerships with international organizations, the private sector and civil society. The Valletta Summit focused on our joint responsibilities in combating criminal networks, working together to protect refugees and addressing the main root causes of irregular migration, causes such as insecurity, instability and a lack of economic perspectives for young people. We agreed to invest much more in young men and women and work on common initiatives that will generate jobs. The European Union Emergency Trust Fund to tackle the root causes of irregular migration in Africa supports this initiative. The Netherlands decided to support the Trust Fund and is currently the Fund’s largest bilateral donor. We are also a supporter of the greater involvement of African countries in the implementation of this new Trust Fund. We can only tackle the problems mentioned earlier together, in partnership. We need to show results and should not let the positive momentum slip away. Our goal should be not only to manage today’s crisis but also to prevent tomorrow’s. Partnerships in the field of migration should encompass other relevant policy fields, such as development cooperation, humanitarian assistance, trade and investment relations and justice and home affairs. Besides providing humanitarian assistance, we need to work together to improve safe and sustainable reception capacity in the affected regions. We highly commend those countries that host large numbers of refugees, particularly Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan in the case of the Syrian refugee crisis. Long-lasting support from the international community to such countries is of vital importance. The humanitarian needs of the internally displaced people in Syria, and of Syrian refugees outside Syria, remain high. Therefore, the assistance for humanitarian aid and the meeting of basic needs by the international community is crucial. We should and could do more to support them. To that end the Netherlands increased its contribution to humanitarian efforts in Syria and its neighbouring countries by €110 million and is looking to support refugees and host communities in the long term as well. The Netherlands will continue to support United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura’s efforts. The agreement on a political road map in Vienna now has to translate into a ceasefire and negotiations with the Syrians led by the United Nations. For a solution in Syria, the next step should be to agree on a framework that allows Syrian parties to connect with or become a formal part of the political process. We share the goal of a strong partnership based on joint action. As in the case of the Valletta Summit, today’s discussion is a starting point for better global cooperation in addressing refugee crises and tackling the root causes of irregular migration. We are looking forward to working with other Member States on the challenges of migration. The Kingdom of the Netherlands will do its utmost, also during our upcoming European Union presidency, as a partner for peace, justice and development.

Sweden fully subscribes to the statement made by the observer of the European Union earlier this morning. I want to start by expressing our condolences to all countries that have suffered gruesome and despicable acts of terror lately — Turkey, Lebanon, Nigeria, France, Kenya, Mali — and the list could unfortunately be even longer. We live in an increasingly insecure world where threats and challenges are shared across countries and continents. It is also a world where humanitarian needs are unprecedented and where more people than ever before in the history of the United Nations have been forced to leave their homes. A majority of these forcibly displaced never leave their country of origin but remain as internally displaced persons. Let us not forget that around 86 per cent of all refugees are in developing countries, often in neighbouring States. The Governments, people and civil society of these recipient countries deserve our sincere appreciation and our solid support in shouldering this responsibility. In the past five weeks my country, Sweden, has received nearly 50,000 asylum-seekers. More than a quarter of these are unaccompanied minors — children. Today is Universal Children’s Day. By the end of this year up to 190,000 persons are expected to have applied for asylum in my country. Over the past year Sweden, among European Union countries, has received most asylum-seekers per capita, and globally we were the ninth-largest recipient of refugees per capita in 2014. We do everything possible to uphold each person‘s right to have a dignified, humane and respectful reception, but this massive influx has put our reception systems under severe strain. The acute crisis is genuinely global in nature. Our response needs to be shaped in dialogue and solidarity with shared responsibilities based on a humanitarian refugee policy and in full respect for our international obligations and for human rights. The views from origin, transit and destination countries must be brought together. This must be a true global partnership. Let me offer some views on what needs to be done in the immediate perspective but also in the longer term. First and foremost, there is an immediate crisis in and around Syria to respond to. We need to prevent the loss of lives, alleviate the suffering and protect the rights of the refugees and migrants. The number of resettlement places in the world must increase dramatically to provide safe and legal channels for women, men and children in urgent need of protection, as the High Commissioner said this morning. Sweden has continued to scale up its humanitarian support to Syria and has since 2011 contributed a total of $264 million in humanitarian aid and $45 million for development efforts in Syria and neighbouring countries. We are now also finalizing a new development strategy to strengthen resilience in Syria itself, as well as in the neighbouring countries. But what is needed most of all is, of course, a political solution through a United Nations-led process, including intensified dialogue with regional actors as well as intra-Syrian talks, which need to include a meaningful participation of women. We welcome the statement from the second meeting of the International Syria Support Group in Vienna, and we offer our full support for Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura. We must also closely monitor the challenging situation in Iraq. You encouraged us, Mr. President, to reflect more broadly on our collective response to the global crisis. Let me mention five areas where we, all of us, also need to think about the longer term. First, addressing the root causes of forced displacement and migration in a systematic way; more effective conflict prevention and management translates to fewer internally displaced persons and refugees. First and foremost, the Security Council must finally assume its responsibility and lead the way towards a political solution of the Syria conflict. In a longer-term perspective, sustainable development and respect for human rights create opportunities for the individual to shape his or her future at home. An ambitious outcome of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties would mean less displacement by environmental degradation. People should migrate out of choice, not out of fear. Secondly, expanding legal avenues for migration while ensuring that migrants are not exploited is key to sustainable migration policies. Managing migration for the benefit of all is also part of the new 2030 Agenda. My Government intends to maintain an open labour migration system and continue to promote circular migration. Through the Swedish Prime Minister’s global deal initiative, we want to make globalization work for everyone, including migrants. Thirdly, we need to make sure that the humanitarian system is fit for current challenges. We are one of the largest humanitarian donors in the world, but good humanitarian donorship is also about how that money is spent and how we make it last. A large part of our Government’s funding to United Nations agencies is non-earmarked or goes to pooled funds. We encourage others to follow suit. The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May next year will be an important stepping stone, as is the Secretary-General’s Panel on Humanitarian Financing. We contribute to both. Fourthly, fresh thinking is called for in relation to partnerships and governance. System-wide coherence at the global level should be strengthened, and the United Nations needs to respond in an integrated fashion. Sweden welcomes the closer relations between the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations and would like to see migration become part of the dialogue between the United Nations and regional organizations. Cooperation should indeed be intensified between all relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations system, international financial institutions, the Global Migration Group and the Global Forum on Migration and Development. The 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda provide solid frameworks for this dialogue and this engagement. Fifthly, and finally, we must pursue the broader migration agenda and harness the positive effects on development. We have a longstanding commitment to facilitating global dialogue and cooperation on migration. As the previous Chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, we know that migration is a driver of human progress and development. Let us not forget that. This development potential has scope for improvement. Action is needed to fulfil the commitments made under the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, including by “[facilitating] orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people”, as required under Goal 10 of the former. We need to offer protection to the people fleeing from conflict, but also to prevent those conflicts from turning violent in the first place. We must provide assistance to meet immediate needs, but also put forward ideas on a future humanitarian system, including bridging the gap between humanitarian and development support. In short, we have to address the short-term crisis but never lose sight of the long-term perspective.

As we meet today the world is still in mourning, shocked by the terrorist attacks over Sinai, in Baghdad, Beirut, Paris and, today, Bamako. (spoke in French) We wish to start by conveying our most sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We firmly believe that so long as the lights of Paris burn brightly, we shall radiate our unity and solidarity to conquer darkness and to triumph over barbaric acts. It is this message of resolve but also of hope that we wish to share with you to combat terrorism. (spoke in English) How easy it is to blame terrorism on migrants and refugees, but how much wiser is it to stress with António Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugees, that “it is not the refugee outflows that cause terrorism, it is terrorism, tyranny and war that create refugees”. Today, as members know, more than 60 million people throughout the world are forcibly displaced as a result of armed conflicts. And people continue to take extraordinary risks for the chance of security and a better life, as evidenced by the thousands who embark in rubber dinghies on dangerous journeys to reach the safe shores of Europe. However, in spite of the staggering numbers of those seeking asylum in Europe, most of the refugees have actually remained close to home in the hope of returning there in the near future. In fact, more than 4 million Syrian refugees are currently located in neighbouring countries, and the vast majority of these are in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. In addition, more than 6.5 million Syrians remain internally displaced within their own land. In four years the number of registered Syrian refugees has increased in Lebanon to about 1.2 million, or between 25 and 30 per cent of the Lebanese population. Lebanon is also host to about 350,000 to 400,000 Palestinian refugees and, as the smallest country of the region both in population and in geographical size, has thus become the one with the highest concentration of refugees per capita, not only in the region but worldwide, ranking second in the total number of refugees only behind Turkey and Pakistan. Needless to say, the 1.2 million figure refers merely to the number of registered Syrian refugees and does not include the tens of thousands of unregistered Syrians who are being taken care of by Lebanese community- based organizations or those who did not register out of fear for their security, or the more than 300,000 Syrian migrants who were working in Lebanon before 2011 and who have been gradually joined by their family members. Nor does it include the more than 40,000 Palestinians who were already refugees in Syria and who fled to Lebanon. Beyond the humanitarian catastrophe as such, the Syrian crisis will continue to represent a huge economic and social burden for Lebanon, if it is not adequately assisted, and a source of serious political concern. Public services, including education, health and sanitation and the energy and water infrastructures are overstretched beyond their capacities. Economic growth has stumbled, poverty has risen by about 60 per cent and unemployment levels have doubled. In fact, Lebanese workers and Syrian refugees are often now in direct competition for scarce jobs. And, predictably, as the needs and vulnerability of both Syrian refugees and Lebanese grow, social tensions tend to rise. As to the political concerns, Lebanon fears the destabilizing impact of the protracted Syrian conflict on its precarious situation and fragile institutions, let alone the risks of radicalization and militarization of parts of the refugee population in view of the growing sense of despair among them. The Syrian crisis is indeed the worst humanitarian tragedy of all time. Let us however be clear: the solution to this crisis cannot be humanitarian. Only a political solution can put an end to this protracted conflict and pave the way to a safe return of the refugees to their country. Meanwhile, Lebanon cannot cope by itself, either with the humanitarian rights and needs of Syrian refugees on its soil or with the various socioeconomic detrimental effects of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon. Hence, Lebanon has been calling for both burden- sharing, including through relocation programmes, and for greater direct assistance to host Lebanese communities. Moreover, addressing the humanitarian aspect of the crisis through the humanitarian assistance channel alone has proved to be insufficient. Given the protracted nature of the conflict, a development approach will be increasingly needed to strengthen the resilience of both the Syrian refugees and the Lebanese host communities and to alleviate the impact of the crisis on them. We therefore also call on the World Bank and the international financial institutions to review their policies in order to provide middle-income neighbouring countries like Lebanon and Jordan with adequate development assistance to help meet their new needs. As a matter of record, in 2013 71 per cent of the amount needed for humanitarian aid, excluding development, for the Syrians, was raised. In 2014 the figure fell to 57 per cent, and this year to 42 per cent. In this context, let me mention that the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan developed by the Government of Lebanon and its international partners was funded at only 39 per cent, according to the latest figures of September 2015. In other words, the plan falls short by 61 per cent of the required funds. So let me stress again that a greater show of real solidarity by the international community is urgently needed, especially at a time when, owing to a lack of funding, the World Food Programme has had to cut down on food vouchers to Syrian refugees since January 2015. It is therefore high time to establish a follow- up mechanism to the now-yearly donor conferences. Such a mechanism could take the form of a high-level 3+3 committee, composed of representatives of the Secretary-General, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Development Programme or the World Bank, on the one hand, and Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, on the other, to pursue with donors the fulfilment of their pledges. At a time when the European countries continue to struggle over how to distribute 120,000 refugees among themselves, let us keep in mind that Lebanon, a country 400 times smaller than Europe, is hosting tenfold that number. Finally, allow me also to warn against the rise of xenophobia, and more particularly of Islamophobia, that has been triggered by the latest wave of refugees seeking asylum in Europe. Beyond their shameful racist character, such attitudes are simply self-defeating as they feed into the propaganda of terrorist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham.

At the outset, let me thank you, Mr. President, for hosting this timely formal meeting on the very important issue of migrant crisis in the Mediterranean basin. Afghan nationals who are associated with the refugee crisis today can be divided into four categories: first, those who have recently arrived in Europe or are trying to enter one of the European countries, either legally or illegally; secondly, those who are currently intending to leave the country and are making arrangements to do so; thirdly, those who have lived in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran for many years; and, fourthly, members of the Afghan diaspora who are in fear of retribution for terrorist attacks throughout the world. Afghans in the first category make up the second- largest group of refugees after Syrians in the current migrant crisis in Europe. They are at the highest risk of exploitation from traffickers and from the dangers of the journey to get to Europe. According to estimates prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 12 per cent of the nearly 137,000 refugees who crossed the Mediterranean in the first six months of 2015 were Afghans. The appropriate United Nations agencies need to play a greater role in addressing the needs of this group. In that context, obviously, we thank the international community for all the hard work that it has put in so far to accommodate the refugees. Vilifying this group of refugees by equating them with terrorists is factually incorrect, besides being highly counterproductive, because most of them are the victims of terrorism fleeing violent extremism. Currently, some countries may be thinking of developing measures to deport Afghans whose asylum requests have been rejected. According to one estimate, in Germany alone 7,000 Afghans could be affected by such a measure. The forceful return of members of this group, many of whom have exhausted their finances after taking enormous risks to get to Europe in search of stability, is not only against the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, but will increase their hostility towards Afghanistan itself, generate hatred towards the developed world, and, ultimately, fuel radicalization and violent extremism among disenfranchised youth. Three factors are essential in order to meet the needs of this group of people. First, emergency assistance should be provided to those refugees who are at risk, especially women, children, the elderly and disabled, and better coordination with humanitarian assistance agencies so as to provide essential services. Secondly, there should be no discrimination when accepting asylum-seekers. The current rhetoric among xenophobic political groups for screening refugees based on religion is despicable and against the core values of the United Nations. Thirdly, there is a need for a comprehensive review of the past bilateral agreements between our Government and European countries. Under the second category, we have people who are currently trying to leave or thinking of leaving the country. Two factors provide the key to understanding why those people are trying to leave so desperately and what can be done to prevent it. The first involves security concerns. Post-transition slowdown and the ongoing conflict and the fight against region-based terrorism and violent extremism are the key issues forcing Afghans to consider the option of leaving Afghanistan in search of safe havens. This year alone, many of our people have been victims of unprecedented attacks by the Taliban and international terrorist groups in our country. The second factor is economic issues: endemic poverty to the tune of 36 per cent, widespread unemployment at roughly 50 per cent, and the lack of a foreseeable future are core factors for migration. Here, too, there are a few points to consider. First, addressing Afghanistan’s security and economic challenges, with particular focus on the key drivers of the violent extremism and terrorism imposed on us, which causes displacement, and increasing investment in and engagement with Afghanistan are pivotal to creating hope and a future through the development of economic options within Afghanistan. Help us complete our Millennium Development Goals and start implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Secondly, a comprehensive awareness programme at the national, regional and international levels could be used to discourage people from leaving their countries. The cost of convincing a person not to leave their country is much less than the cost of dealing with a refugee. In the third category are the people who have already been settled in Pakistan and Iran for a long time. Continued assistance from Iran and Pakistan for the process of voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration is essential, for which we are thankful. Recent reports, however, point out rampant police harassment, threats, and violence against Afghan nationals in Pakistan, leading to human rights abuses and the politicization of refugee issues, which should be avoided. In the fourth category is the Afghan diaspora: security issues and the human rights of the Afghan diaspora, people who have assimilated in the countries and cultures where they have been settled for years, are slowly becoming an issue to be considered seriously. Many Afghans, and for that matter Muslims at large, are feeling increasingly vulnerable in the face of extremist violence, right-wing rhetoric slamming Muslims in general, and negative stereotyping and heightened surveillance from intelligence agencies as they conduct counter-terrorism efforts. Almost all Afghan refugees in the diaspora are the victims of foreign invasion and terrorism, not the perpetrators. By equating those two categories and creating an environment of suspicion, the world will play into the narrative of the extremists that Muslim refugees are not welcome in the West and that there is a wider civilizational clash between the West and Islam. Currently, discord and the lack of unity among Member States are utilized by the terrorist groups and, unfortunately, certain circles within some States in our region use the terrorists to advance their own agendas. Member States have to present a unified front as they deal with countering violent extremism and international terrorism, while keeping the door open for millions of refugees and displaced people, because letting conflicts fester and thereby creating conditions that displace people will eventually lead to problems for Member States in the form of refugee influx. In conclusion, allow me to propose a few solutions that could be useful. First, although dealing with socioeconomic and geopolitical factors and finding a political solution for conflicts in the Middle East — in Syria in particular — is essential, greater engagement and support to Afghanistan to fight international terrorism is also imperative. Secondly, we need a complete review of the migration and immigration policies of Member States in the light of the current crisis. Thirdly, we need to tone down the Islamophobic rhetoric, which feeds the extremist doctrine of radicalization. And, fourthly, we need to create stable sociopolitical conditions to prevent the exodus of refugees and create better economic options. In that regard, Afghanistan has just launched a national employment programme that will create jobs and provide a viable future for ordinary Afghans. So, as members can see, we may have a very busy agenda for the first World Humanitarian Summit, to be held in Istanbul in May 2016.

We recognize the huge challenges that Europe is facing with the current influx of refugees and migrants, many of whom are fleeing violence and war. We welcome continuing efforts to find a comprehensive, coordinated response. Any solution to the crisis should focus on saving and protecting lives, ensuring respect for the human rights of all migrants, and promoting orderly and humane migration policies consistent with international standards. Last Friday’s attacks in Paris underscore the need to ensure border security and proper screening, but we also need to remember that the individuals and families who have fled Syria are fleeing precisely the type of senseless, unjust violence that occurred in Paris last Friday night. As United States President Obama said in Turkey this week, “We also have to remember that many of these refugees are the victims of terrorism themselves. That is what they are fleeing. Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values. Our nations can welcome refugees who are desperately seeking safety and ensure our own security. We can and must do both.” In the face of terrorist threats the international community needs to galvanize and respond with resolve to maintain our compassion and humanity and help migrants and refugees. The United States remains deeply committed to safeguarding the American people from terrorism, just as we are committed to providing refuge to the world’s most vulnerable people. We do not believe that either of those goals has to be pursued at the expense of the other. Immigrants and refugees make our country stronger and more vibrant, with each wave of newcomers adding texture to what it means to be American. We share a deep bond with those who come to our country seeking safety, opportunity and freedom from fear. The Syrian refugee crisis and the resulting challenges in Europe demand a global response. Anti-migrant campaigns have not only presented obstacles to finding constructive solutions to the ongoing refugee and migration crisis, but have, in some cases, also fuelled violence. All nations need to come together to address those challenges. There is a much broader understanding now among Government donors and international organizations that we need more countries, more private corporations and more organizations and individuals to join together to find solutions. The United States Administration remains steadfastly committed to our President’s plan to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States in the fiscal year 2016. As Secretary Kerry announced in September, the United States will accept at least 85,000 refugees from throughout the world in fiscal year 2016, and at least 100,000 the following year. We have met our admission goals for each of the past three years, and we are on target to meet the goal of admitting 10,000 refugees from Syria and 85,000 refugees from throughout the world by the end of this fiscal year.