Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
UN / GRANDI
STORY: UN / GRANDI
TRT: 03:08
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 02 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
02 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, moment of silent for victims of New York terrorist attack at Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“The sharp rise in forced displacement reflects weaknesses in international cooperation, and declining capacity to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts. Competing interests are being pursued through proxy wars, instead of being resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Neglected local crises gather pace and become transnational with broader implications. The focus is on short-term interests rather than long-term collective stability.”
4. Med shot, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“Have we become unable to broker peace? I ask this question here, in the Security Council, whose raisons d'être are peace and security, because I see the direct impact of these failures, every day, on the lives of tens of millions of people, forced to abandon their homes with grim prospects of being able to return sometimes for generations. When I meet refugees, their first question is not about food or shelter, but about peace and security because it is security and peace that will convince them to return home.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“And weaknesses in international solidarity are also eroding protection for those who flee. Many refugee-hosting States, particularly those neighbouring conflict zones, keep their borders open and generously host thousands, sometimes millions, of refugees. But certain States, often those least impacted by refugee flows and often wealthy ones, have closed borders, restricting access to asylum and deterring entry.”
8. Wide shot, US deputy ambassador
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“In Myanmar, security and the establishment of respect for human rights and the rule of law in Rakhine State are essential pre-requisites for the return of refugees. Progress on citizenship for the stateless Rohingya is absolutely crucial, as will be community reconciliation and investment in inclusive development benefiting all communities.”
10. Wide shot, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“My appeal is that, as you focus on the different tracks hopefully leading to peace in Syria, you don't lose sight of the need to support refugees and countries hosting them. We must resist the pressure for premature returns, as this would be a destabilising factor in this fragile context. On the other hand, voluntary, supported returns when the time comes, will be a key contribution to sustainable peace.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told the Security Council today (02 Nov) the sharp rise in forced displacement “reflects weaknesses in international cooperation” and asked, “Have we become unable to broker peace?”
Briefing the Council on the situation of refugees worldwide, Grandi said countries bordering crisis zones are struggling to absorb the social, economic, and political shocks of large-scale refugee movements, while the broader consequences of unresolved conflicts reverberate across and beyond regions. He said the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide is now approaching 66 million, up from 42 million in 2009; this includes 17.2 million refugees under UNHCR's responsibility- a 70% increase since then.
The High Commissioner said this rise reflects the “declining capacity to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts.” He stressed that competing interests “are being pursued through proxy wars, instead of being resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.” He said focus has turn to short-term interests rather than long-term collective stability.
Grandi said he sees the direct impact of these failures on the lives of tens of millions of people “forced to abandon their homes with grim prospects of being able to return sometimes for generations.” He added, “When I meet refugees, their first question is not about food or shelter, but about peace and security because it is security and peace that will convince them to return home.”
The High Commissioner said weaknesses in international solidarity with refugees are also eroding protection for those who flee. He noted that many refugee-hosting countries keep their borders open and generously host thousands, sometimes millions, of refugees, while certain countries, “often those least impacted by refugee flows and often wealthy ones, have closed borders, restricting access to asylum and deterring entry.”
Grandi called on the Security Council to engage in five key areas to deal with the issue of forced displacement; namely, conflict prevention, peacekeeping operations, trafficking and exploitation of refugees and migrants, creating sustainable peace, and protection of civilians while solutions are being perused.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) chief said security and the establishment of respect for human rights and the rule of law in Rakhine State are essential pre-requisites for the return of refugees to Myanmar. He stressed that “progress on citizenship for the stateless Rohingya is absolutely crucial, as will be community reconciliation and investment in inclusive development benefiting all communities.”
On Syria, Grandi said fragile ceasefires and shifts in territorial control have restored relative calm to some parts of the country. He added that, although there has been substantial new displacement, many internally displaced people and much smaller numbers of refugees have returned home this year, often to places devastated by the conflict. He noted that signs of resilience are starting to emerge in the country and emphasised the importance of nurturing them in parallel with de-escalation efforts. He appealed to the Council not to “lose sight of the need to support refugees and countries hosting them.” He said, “We must resist the pressure for premature returns, as this would be a destabilising factor in this fragile context; on the other hand, voluntary, supported returns when the time comes, will be a key contribution to sustainable peace.”
The High Commissioner said the hope of millions of uprooted people and avoiding a repeat of recent outflows ultimately rests on political solutions and counted on the Security Council’s leadership to deliver those solutions.
Download
There is no media available to download.
