On 13 April at the UN Plaza in Almaty, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomed high-level delegations from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to compare notes in preparation for the next Global Refugee Forum (GRF) that will gather in Geneva in December 2023.
Senior representatives of Presidential Administrations, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of Labour, of Internal Affairs, of Education, of Health, State Migration Services, and the Offices of Ombudspersons, United Nations Resident Coordinators as well as other UN officials, Ambassadors of GRF convener countries, managers of the civil sector, academia and the private sector of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan took stock of the implementation of past GRF pledges and identified good practices which may be used for formulating new good models
“Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Turkmenistan contributed excellent good models and pledges to the first GRF in 2019. Today, we are delighted to also welcome our friend and partners from Uzbekistan, to compare notes, experiences, and opportunities to jointly strengthen international solidarity for refugees and stateless persons. Having made great progress in reducing and preventing statelessness and generously hosting small numbers of asylum seekers and refugees, the governments and people of Central Asia can count on continued support from UNHCR and GRF sponsors, including the private sector, to implementing the Global Compact on Refugees” said Mr Hans Friedrich Schodder, the Representative of UNHCR for Central Asia, when opening the roundtable.
The GRF brings together States, international organizations, and other stakeholders every four years to share good practices and commit voluntary contributions and pledges towards stepping up support to implementing the principles of the Global Compact on Refugees. The first GRF of 2019 brought together 3,000 participants, including Heads of State and Ministers, , CEOs of the private sector, civil society, sports entities, humanitarian organizations, development actors and academia. It generated some 1,600 pledges and initiatives and 350 submissions of good practices. These voluntary commitments are helping refugees and stateless persons to find work, access education and health care, open bank accounts, and receive travel documents, so that they can contribute to and not be left behind in the sustainable development of their host communities.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
