Madam President,
I would like to thank Ms Elizabeth Tan, Director of International Protection at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Mr Federico Soda, Director of Operations and Emergencies at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for their contributions. Switzerland is grateful for the tireless work of these organizations, often under difficult conditions. I would also like to thank the African Union Commissioner, Ms Minata Semate, for her speech, and we also take note of the presentations by Ms Angelina Nyachol and Mr Daniel Kovalik.
We are faced with an unprecedented number of people on the move. Behind the statistics, individual tragedies and the suffering of separated families remind us of the immense challenges and dangers faced by people seeking safety, protection and a better life.
My intervention will focus on forced displacement, protection needs and the global approach followed by Switzerland.
Faced with a global phenomenon, a joint effort between different partners is needed to tackle the causes and consequences of forced displacement. Protection, durable solutions, localisation, climate action and resource mobilisation are among the priorities of Switzerland's commitment in this area. Respect for human rights and international refugee law is fundamental.
We are committed to a participatory approach involving various actors working with refugees be it in Switzerland and internationally. In this spirit, the second edition of the World Refugee Forum will take place in December in Geneva. This is a multilateral framework that enables a more predictable and equitable sharing of responsibilities for the protection and reception of refugees. The forum aims to ease the pressure on host countries. It should also enhance refugee self-reliance, expand access to third country solutions, and support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity. The Forum will provide an opportunity to take stock of commitments made to date, to share best practices and, above all, to join forces to reduce the risk of forced displacement and alleviate its consequences.
As a co-host of the Forum, Switzerland welcomes the fact that it provides for greater commitment to tackling the root causes of forced displacement, and that it emphasizes support for the countries concerned, particularly in relation to sustainable solutions and the inclusion of displaced persons. We salute the commitment of the co-organizers, France, Japan, Jordan, Colombia, Niger and Uganda, to the success of the Forum.
Madam President,
Conflict prevention is essential to reduce forced displacement. It is therefore imperative that this Council continues to work for sustainable peace on global level. Armed conflict, hunger and poverty must not be accepted as inevitable. It is our duty to act on the causes of this human suffering.
I thank you.