UN: All countries must contribute to solving global refugee crisis

New York (IINA) – President of the UN General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft on Monday said all countries must contribute to solving the global refugee crisis, underscoring that the international community has an unequivocal obligation towards the women, men and children seeking refuge from conflict and violence.
“The world has not seen a global humanitarian crisis of this magnitude since the Second World War and with winter approaching in the northern hemisphere, it is only going to get worse,” Lykketoft cautioned during his first formal press conference since taking office last week.
“The tragic stories and heart-breaking images we are seeing in the media are only the tip of the iceberg – the manifestation of much bigger issues which only multilateral cooperation and global leadership can solve,” he added. “This is a global crisis. And it requires a global solution.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has invited member states to a special meeting on 30 September in New York to discuss the crisis, also voiced his concern about the deteriorating situation facing refugees and migrants arriving across Europe.
"Mr Ban calls on all European States to ensure that they abide by their international obligations, including the right to seek asylum, and the prohibition of refoulement,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is helping survivors of two separate incidents over the weekend involving boats carrying refugees and migrants between Turkey and Greece, which left up to 40 people either dead or missing. Nearly 3,000 people have died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean this year.
AB/IINA

Source: United Nation News Center 
 

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