28 April 2025
I thank you, Mr. President.
I would to start by thanking the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, for his in-depth yet sobering briefing, as well as for the very important messages he conveyed to us.
My country Greece would like to express its appreciation to the High Commissioner for his continuous and ardent dedication to his mandate. We extend our full and unwavering support to his work, as it has been clearly manifested during his visit last year in our country and his meetings with the political leadership, but also during our fruitful interaction in the framework of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Mr. President,
The world is currently facing one of the most significant humanitarian challenges of our time: the forced displacement of millions of people due to armed conflicts, violence, human rights violations, economic and social insecurity, food insecurity, natural disasters and the impact of climate change.
The numbers speak for themselves and reflect a vicious circle of violence and deterioration of living conditions, with dire impact on regional and international stability and peace. The numbers also reflect a blunt reality: the uprooting of human beings from their lives by forces beyond their control, in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Latin America.
Ongoing crises in Gaza, Syria, Ukraine, Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Haiti, Venezuela are major drivers of forced displacement.
Mr. President,
Allow me to highlight the following key points:
All of the conflicts mentioned share two common features: the blatant disregard of international humanitarian law by parties to conflicts and the lack of accountability. Both features have a devastating effect on civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian personnel. We firmly believe that it is our duty, as members of the Security Council, to:
First, ensure respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Second, step up humanitarian action in order to support refugees and displaced persons and the countries hosting them.
Third, find meaningful solutions to reverse the displacement trends.
Greece will continue to work in the context of the Security Council and beyond towards these goals.
As one of the front-line EU member-states receiving still large numbers of mixed arrivals, Greece contributes to the implementation of UNHCR’s mandate by hosting a significant number – in relation to its population – of refugees and asylum seekers.
My country prioritizes protection of most vulnerable groups, especially women and children, who are exposed to gender-based violence, exploitation, separation from families, lack of access to education, long-term psychological trauma.
We have developed a comprehensive support system for unaccompanied minors, comprising, interalia, accommodation, healthcare, nutrition, education, guardianship, and integration, based on the best interest of the child. Our relevant strategy builds on the enhancement of the protection of children, especially from violence and exploitation, and the establishment of legal pathways for joining family members, through multilateral agreements for relocation and family reunification.
The management of refugee flows poses multiple challenges. At the epicenter of our current priorities on this issue lies the need for effective returns.
Moreover, we remain gravely concerned about the involvement of criminal smuggling networks that exploit human suffering along migration routes, and, of course, about the heinous practice of instrumentalisation of migration which is in total disregard of International Law.
Mr. President,
In closing, let me stress that against a discouraging backdrop of a world in crisis, marked by armed conflicts, climate emergency and human rights violations, Greece calls for tangible actions in order to uphold international humanitarian law, address the root causes of the refugee and displacement crises, opt for local and regional solutions, increase the scale of funding for humanitarian assistance, and commit to the protection of forcibly displaced people.
I thank you.