In his statement to the General Assembly’s Third Committee, Mr. Grandi emphasized the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes have caused massive civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. , including schools, hospitals and roads.
“The humanitarian consequences are too great and urgent international support is needed,” he said, noting that 470,000 people have crossed into Syria in recent weeks.
In Sudan, the situation has also reached critical levels, with more than 11 million people displaced since the conflict began 18 months ago.
“The conditions in Sudan are beyond description – wanton violence, sexual brutality, famine, floods, disease. We are witnessing the collapse of a country’s social infrastructure in real time,” he warned.
Call for a new approach
Mr. Grandi expressed particular concern about the growing trend of governments implementing restrictive measures focused on border controls and at times attempting to “outsource, outsource or suspend asylum” . He emphasized that such approaches “are not only ineffective but also violate their international legal obligations.”
He called for a more comprehensive and effective approach to addressing displacement, urging countries to look beyond border controls and consider “the full spectrum of displacement routes.”
He called on countries to “look for opportunities in countries of origin” to “strengthen the resilience of communities at risk of climate-related displacement.”
He encouraged Member States to “seek opportunities to expand legal and regular stay programs in countries of asylum or transit, providing access to services and employment”, and establishing more “pathways for people to travel legally and safely.”
Addressing funding challenges, Mr. Grandi revealed that the United Nations refugee agency UNHCRhas had to cut 1,000 positions and freeze critical life-saving operations due to recent financial constraints. He noted that “funding levels for 2025 and beyond remain uncertain, further jeopardizing our and our host countries’ ability to respond to refugee and migration crises.” move in a predictable and flexible way”.
“We must be able to act – together – even in difficult times,” he concluded, stressing the need for continued international solidarity with displaced and stateless people worldwide.
