UN urges support, solidarity for displaced people

New York, June 20 (IANS/WAM) With a record of 65.6 million people uprooted from their homes last year due to violence and persecution, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the international community to provide them support and solidarity.

In a video message on World Refugee Day, marked annually on June 20, Guterres said: "We reflect on the courage of those who fled and the compassion of those who welcome them."

He noted that more people than ever in "our lifetimes are fleeing war, disasters and persecution.

Guterres recalled horrific stories heard from refugees and displaced persons, as their number rose to 300,000 since the end of 2015.

He added that conflicts have displaced 12 million Syrians, 7.7 million Colombians, 4.7 million Afghans and 4.2 million Iraqis, according to a report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Despite the hardships of fleeing with nothing, "they never lose their dreams for their children or their desire to better our world," Guterres said. "They ask for little, only our support in their time of greatest need and our solidarity."

The UN Secretary-General said it is "so inspiring to see countries with the least, doing the most for refugees".

According to the report, about 84 per cent of the people were in low or middle-income countries as of end 2016. Of that figure, one in every three people, roughly 4.9 million, were hosted by the least developed countries.

--IANS/WAM

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