Statement from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, Regarding Solutions for the Residents of Camp New Iraq (Ashraf)

GENEVA - I want to express my deep appreciation for the tireless efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Martin Kobler, to reach an agreement with the Government of Iraq regarding a process for the voluntary relocation of the residents of Camp New Iraq (former Camp Ashraf).

UNHCR is fully engaged in this initiative and looks forward to the voluntary and peaceful transfer of the asylum seekers to a temporary site so that UNHCR can proceed immediately with the determination of their status in accordance with its mandate.

I wish to commend the Government of Iraq for extending the deadline for the closure of the camp and for agreeing to provide the necessary facilities with safety and security, so that the process of verification and adjudication can be conducted in a timely and appropriate manner.

I urge all sides to cooperate in good faith to ensure a peaceful process and I reiterate my appeal to the international community to contribute to the achievement of durable solutions for those recognized as refugees through offering resettlement places.

For further information on this topic, please contact:

In Geneva, Leigh Foster, on mobile +41 79 557 9124

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Refugee Resettlement and Complementary Pathways: Opportunities for Growth

17 Sep 2021

By the end of 2020, 20.7 million refugees had been displaced from their countries of origin and sought protection under the mandate of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. While some may eventually be able to return to their countries of origin or integrate locally into the society of their host country, for the most at risk, resettlement remains a critical tool for addressing their displacement by providing secure legal status and access to fundamental rights in a third country.