Pak PM Imran Khan to co-convene UN's Global Refugee Forum

Pakistan on Monday said Prime Minister Imran Khan will go to Geneva to co-convene the first-ever Global Refugee Forum (GRF) commencing on December 17.

The Global Refugee Forum -- the first major meeting on refugees of the 21st century -- will be jointly hosted by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the government of Switzerland on December 17-18, 2019.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan along with (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, and leaders from Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Germany, have been invited to co-convene the forum in recognition of their exemplary role for the protection and wellbeing of refugees," the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will also address the forum.

The forum is expected to galvanise political support and solidarity and broaden the base of commitments from states, international organisations, private sectors and civil society to deal with the growing number of refugee situations across the world.

Prime minister Khan will articulate Pakistan's perspective, experience and contribution to the Afghan refugees, the FO statement said.

Co-convening of the GRF is recognition of Pakistan hosting thousands of Afghan refugees for the past 40 years, the Foreign Office said.

The prime minister, during his stay in Geneva, will also have bilateral interactions with his counterparts and with the UN leadership, and attend a luncheon hosted by the UN secretary general.

Pakistan hosts more than 1.4 million registered Afghans who have been forced to flee their homes, according to the UNHRC.