We commemorate the World Refugee Day, which is an important occasion to shed light on the suffering of this group of people whose conditions are fragile and in desperate need of protection, in light of the developments taking place in the international and regional arena of crises and conflicts that have resulted in large flows of refugees and displaced persons, and as part of the Arab Regional Consultative Process on Migration and Refugee Affairs (ARCP) ongoing efforts to raise awareness of refugee issues, support them and reduce their suffering, while also working to alleviate pressures on host countries and societies, which are frequently in neighboring countries where refugees are concentrated in large numbers. These circumstances require dealing with a complex set of services, as well as providing immediate humanitarian assistance and meeting the basic and developmental needs.
The Arab region has witnessed new developments in the last two months that are closely related to refugees and displaced persons; the first development is represented in the crisis in Sudan, which has resulted in an outflow of Sudanese refugees and displaced persons, and the displacement of refugees hosted by Sudan to other neighboring countries. ARCP Member States' Representatives emphasize the provisions of Resolution 8915 adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States at the Ministerial Level on 7th May 2023 regarding Developments of the Situation in the Republic of Sudan, which addressed the provision of urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to citizens and displaced persons within Sudan through the relevant authorities and also for those seeking a safe haven in neighboring countries that receive refugees to help them bear the increasing burdens, and urged donor countries to provide humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people. Representatives also refer to the resolutions of the specialized ministerial councils in this regard. They emphasize the importance of working to mitigate the effects of this crisis on the region, which has already been dealing with massive waves of displacement for more than a decade. In this context, they also value Arab States' efforts to receive refugees, particularly the Arab Republic of Egypt, as well as the evacuation of Arab and foreign nationals from Sudan, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Djibouti, the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Republic of Tunisia, and the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as the efforts of the UNHCR and the High Commissioner who visited the Egyptian-Sudanese borders on 28th May 2023.
The second development is related to Syria's return to the League of Arab States, as well as what was agreed upon in terms of strengthening the proper conditions for the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees. In this context, the ARCP Member States' representatives commend the Resolution issued by Jeddah Summit on 19th May 2023 regarding the developments in Syria, as well as the request from donor countries to quickly fulfill pledges announced at the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference to support the humanitarian situation in Syria and the importance of supporting Arab States hosting refugees and displaced Syrians. They also commend Resolution 8914 adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States at the Ministerial Level on 7th May 2023 in this regard, as well as the Arab communiqués issued by Jeddah and Amman Meetings on Syria in April and May 2023.
They draw attention to the significant impacts of sudden emergencies on the displaced and refugees, such as the impact of the Syria and Turkey earthquake in February 2023, the impact of climate change, and the need for the international community to mobilize efforts to provide all forms of support and relief, especially because they are among the most vulnerable and fragile groups of the population. They also value the assistance provided by states, international organizations, and civil society organizations during this crisis. They emphasize the importance of addressing the root causes of forced displacement, as well as strengthening the interdependence of the humanitarian and development elements.
They affirm that the ARCP has paid significant attention to the "Global Compact on Refugees" since its adoption in 2018, and they also emphasize the importance of participating in the Second Global Refugee Forum, which will be held in Geneva in December 2023, as well as their eagerness to actively contribute in this round, in which the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is one of its organizers. They appreciate the role of the League of Arab States' Secretariat in coordinating and cooperating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to adequately prepare for Arab participation in the Forum and to keep countries informed of developments in this respect on a regular basis.
On this day, they reaffirm the need to respect the particularity of Palestinian refugees, the world's oldest group of refugees since 1948, and who have been subjected to multiple forced displacements as a result of successive events in the Arab region, and affirm their right to return to their homeland and compensation under Resolution 194 of 1948 issued by the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the international mandate granted to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in accordance with its founding Resolution 302 of 1949 issued by the United Nations General Assembly, and emphasize holding Israel (the occupying Power) the legal, political, and moral responsibility for the emergence and continuation of the Palestinian refugee problem, rejecting any action taken by any party to undermine the right of return and rejecting any resettlement attempts, as well as the dismantle of UNRWA or the so-called redefining the legal status of the Palestinian refugees. The Representatives call on the international community to continue providing the necessary support to UNRWA so that it can continue to assume its full responsibilities towards them and preventing the collapse of its services.
