Macron calls for acts in conflict zones to stem refugee flows

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged more acts in the conflict zones to handle the refugees crisis better and stem flows of asylum seekers that have prompted Europe's worst migration crisis.

"Protecting ... means taking action as close as possible to the conflict zones by first providing financial support to UNHCR in the countries hosting the most refugees in the Middle East and in Africa," Macron said on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

In this context, Macron promised to increase 10 million euros ($11.73 million) Paris' financial aid to help treat migrants crisis in Libya, where according to him, "the situation remains critical".

Macron also pointed to the necessity to energize diplomatic efforts "to build a political solution negotiated in Libya that will allow stability".

As to the situation of Syrian refugees, Macron pleaded for "a collective capacity" to reach a political response to the end the year-long and offer a lasting political stability in the area.

Admitting that France had failed to honour commitment to receive refugees, Macron pledged to handle the issue with a "realistic" way, proposing to welcome 10,000 asylum seekers mainly from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Niger and Chad by 2019.

At a meeting with Filippo Grandi, President of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Macron also stressed "the need for Europe to build a common area of protection and solidarity, in particular by setting up a European Asylum Office which accelerates and harmonizes our procedures with a common training and integration program of refugees".

--IANS

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