Angelina Jolie, UN refugee agency Goodwill Ambassador, issues appeal for civilians and refugees in Côte d'Ivoire and Libya
KABUL, Afghanistan - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie today voiced deep concern for the tens of thousands of civilians caught up in two separate and fast-unfolding emergencies: Côte d'Ivoire and Libya.
"As we witness these newest crises unfold in west and north Africa, it is critical that all parties respect the fundamental right of people in danger to flee to safety - whether civilians caught in conflict in their own country or refugees and asylum seekers caught in new conflicts," Jolie said. "All I'm asking is that civilians be protected, and not targeted or harmed."
In Côte d'Ivoire, fierce fighting in the Abobo district of Abidjan and clashes in the west over the past few days have blocked access for humanitarian organizations and brought the country perilously close to all-out civil war. Thousands of people have been displaced in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's commercial hub, and refugees have been streaming across the country's western border into Liberia in unprecedented numbers. Eastern Liberia is already dealing with more than 70,000 Ivorians who have arrived there since the presidential election of late November.
At the same time, UNHCR is worried for thousands of refugees, asylum-seekers, and irregular migrants still inside Libya and in circumstances of considerable danger. Few of these have been able to make it out of Libya and into either Tunisia or Egypt - where most people leaving the country have been heading. On Tuesday, UNHCR said it was particularly concerned for sub-Saharan Africans who have become vulnerable because of suspicions that they are foreign mercenaries. Amid chaotic scenes at the Tunisian border, UNHCR also issued a joint appeal with the International Organization for Migration for a massive humanitarian evacuation for people fleeing Libya into Tunisia.
"With these new waves of uprising and conflict, there is and will continue to be massive new displacement. The world needs to address this moment. We have to give people safe passage, evacuation if needed, and ensure they have asylum. We don't want to look back and find their deaths are on our hands," Jolie said.
The acclaimed actress was speaking from Kabul, Afghanistan, where she has been on a low-profile two-day visit to listen to the problems of returned refugees still struggling to survive and reintegrate almost 10 years after returning from exile.
''As the world's attention shifts to the newest refugee crises, we need to remember that if we don't support people in the long term to really get back on their feet - to feed, shelter and educate their families, to earn a living with dignity, and to participate in meaningful ways in their societies - we will see a continued cycle of instability and new crises,'' Jolie said.
UNHCR is rallying support from donors and other humanitarian and development agencies to redouble their efforts to help returning refugees reintegrate in Afghanistan.
4d70bdb79Related news and stories
Women-run businesses in Afghanistan dealt a blow by deepening restrictions
AU, EU and UN push for urgent action to address the pressing needs of migrants and refugees in Libya
UNHCR launches new appeal for Afghan refugees and hosts, urging partners to stay the course
I had to flee for my education, but refused to leave other Afghan girls to their fate
Former refugee, now volunteer teacher, helps other Afghan girls get an education
Families struggle for survival during Afghanistan's coldest winter in a decade
Your search for « angelina jolie » matched 491 results. Displaying page 8 of 55 pages.
-
Special Envoy Angelina Jolie renews UNHCR contract, says 'I'm with you for life'
15 Mar 2017 ... GENEVA – Special Envoy Angelina Jolie today reaffirmed her commitment to refugees worldwide, telling staff at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency: “I am with you for life.” Jolie visited UNHCR ...... -
60th Anniversary: Angelina Jolie marks milestone with tribute to the displaced and UNHCR staff
17 Dec 2010 ... MADRID, Spain, December 17 (UNHCR) - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors Angelina Jolie and Jesús Vázquez met in Spain this week and paid tribute to the staff of the refugee agency on its 60th birthday and ...... -
UNHCR chief Guterres and Angelina Jolie warn of mounting crisis in the Mediterranean
15 Sep 2014 ... GENEVA, September 15 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie have called for increased efforts by European nations to contribute to the ...... -
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt calls for action on World Refugee Day
20 Jun 2015 ... UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt has been commemorating World Refugee Day with Syrian refugees in Turkey, which has overtaken Pakistan to become the world's largest refugee-hosting nation with ...... -
Goodwill Ambassador Jolie releases journals on Kosovo, Sri Lanka
7 Oct 2003 ... GENEVA, Oct 7 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency's Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, today released two journals offering rare insight into her recent experiences with displaced people in Kosovo and ...... -
Jolie thanks Tanzania for longstanding support to refugees
2 Apr 2003 ... DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, April 2 (UNHCR) - Oscar award-winning actress Angelina Jolie has travelled the world both for location shoots and in her capacity as Goodwill Ambassador for the UN refugee ...... -
An unexpected meeting with Angelina Jolie brings joy a year later
15 Nov 2011 ... ROGATICA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, November 15 (UNHCR) - In April last year, Lena Babic had her photograph taken with Hollywood star Angelina Jolie in the dilapidated building where she had lived in ...... -
School funded by Angelina Jolie benefits girls in eastern Afghanistan
15 Mar 2010 ... TANGI, Afghanistan, March 15 (UNHCR) - There were celebrations in Tangi last week when a new primary school for girls was opened barely 18 months after Angelina Jolie visited the settlement for ...... -
Afghan repatriation from Pakistan exceeds 50,000 as Jolie visits
5 May 2005 ... ATTOCK, Pakistan, May 6 (UNHCR) - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie saw off a convoy of trucks carrying Afghans home on Thursday as the total number repatriating under the UN refugee agency ......