The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has praised Germany's commitment to international refugee protection. According to the UN agency, Germany made its largest financial contribution ever to UNHCR's global work last year, contributing nearly $537 million (504 million euros), and remains the second largest donor country.
"2023 will be another year of great challenges and we are glad to have Germany as a reliable and forward-looking partner at our side," Katharina Lumpp, UNHCR's representative in Germany, said in Berlin on Sunday. "Germany is an important country for refugee protection, a reliable humanitarian donor in acute emergencies and protracted crises, and a major host country for refugees."
Germany enables the UN Refugee Agency to use a large part of these funds flexibly. This means that the resources can be used particularly effectively. The Federal Republic was once again the world's second-largest donor to UNHCR after the United States. The U.S. provided more than $2.195 billion (2.058 billion euros) in 2022. The European Union ranked third among the UN agency's largest donors last year, contributing nearly $242 million (227 million euros).
"Thanks to these funds, we can help refugees find safety and protection and support them in many ways: with shelter, by providing them with basic necessities, with schooling or access to healthcare. In this way, we give displaced people hope again", Lumpp said.
The war against Ukraine has resulted in the largest refugee movement in the world, the scale and speed of which are unprecedented in the history of forced displacement since World War II.
"More than 7.9 million people have fled the country, and another 5.9 million are displaced within Ukraine. The solidarity in supporting refugees and internally displaced persons is strong and continues unabated," the UNHCR representative said.
But the situation of displaced people in other regions and countries of the world also requires attention. As a result of the impact of the war in Ukraine, conditions for these people around the world have worsened significantly. The economic consequences of the war, which are being felt all over the world, are having a particularly drastic impact on people in humanitarian emergencies, including refugees and internally displaced persons. By the end of 2022, more than 103 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events that seriously disrupted public order.
Against the backdrop of increased global needs, the U.N. refugee agency had budgeted $10.7 billion last year, with just under six billion (56 percent) covered and 44 percent underfunded. At 21 percent, the share of private donors was higher than ever before, exceeding $1.17 billion for the first time. Private donors from Germany contributed more than $81 million to UNHCR's work in 2022.
"Armed conflict and human rights abuses in many countries around the world continue to force people to flee their homes," Lumpp said. "Germany's vital support will continue to save lives in 2023."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a United Nations agency mandated to assist and protect refugees, displaced persons and stateless people. The organization is known by its short name UN Refugee Agency. UNHCR was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 14, 1950, to provide assistance to refugees from World War II. On January 1, 1951, the UNHCR began its work. Each year, the UN Refugee Agency helps millions of refugees and displaced persons worldwide. UNHCR is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has offices in 134 countries.
Further information
Website: UNHCR Global Focus: Donor Rankings
https://reporting.unhcr.org/donor-ranking
Full text: UNHCR commends Germany's commitment to international refugee protection, UNHCR press release, published January 8, 2023 (in German)
https://www.unhcr.org/dach/de/85663-unhcr-wuerdigt-deutschlands-einsatz-fuer-den-internationalen-fluechtlingsschutz.html
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