April 28, 2025
I wish, first and foremost, to thank Mr. Filippo Grandi for his briefing to the Security Council, a tradition under his mandate as head of UNHCR. Mr. Filippo Grandi, you have provided a unvarnished overview of the situation of forcibly displaced persons and those seeking safety, and by setting up recommendations to alleviate the suffering endured by these individuals.
Mr. High Commissioner, France commends the remarkable work you have achieved during the nearly ten years of your mandate. France pays tribute to your commitment to refugees, stateless and forcibly displaced persons and, through you, to the dedication of the women and men who carry out UNHCR’s mission throughout the world. I am thinking of those who were wounded or lost their lives in the course of this increasingly difficult mission in Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan or throughout the world where their action is indispensable.
1/ It is the responsibility of this Council to be seized of these threats and challenges to international peace and security, i.e., the crises and conflicts that are the root of most forced displacement. We cannot just leave it to UNHCR to deal with the consequences. It is increasingly difficult for UNHCR to do so, clearly, in a context of multiple crises and increasingly serious violations of international law and the protection of civilians. Mr. High Commissioner, France reaffirms at the Security Council its steadfast political commitment to UNHCR’s efforts.
As we know, UNHCR was created in the wake of the Second World War on a temporary basis to deliver assistance the millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes, in the hope that a lasting solution to the cause of refugees, displaced and stateless persons would be found. This mandate, which has been renewed many times, was extended indefinitely by the General Assembly in 2003. Forced displacement continues to increase and remains one of the main consequences of crises and conflicts, where civilians are the main casualties. In 2015, 60 million people were forced into exile. Ten years later, in 2025, that number has more than doubled. This trend reflects a world faced with increasing and protracted conflicts and the combined effects of food insecurity, sanitary crises, human rights violations, climate change, and economic shocks.
2/ The Council, as well as the international community, bear responsibility to deliver support to displaced persons and those who welcome them. This is a matter of solidarity and humanity, but it is also a question at the heart of security and peacekeeping. As you said, Mr. High Commissioner, the risks of a drastic reduction in financing are clear: human tragedy, instability, and an increase in forced displacement. Populations that are already displaced, and that we won’t help, will have no other choice but to go, once again, into exile. We need to be aware of these challenges by rethinking our collective action to ensure it is more effective and impactful, involving local stakeholders, and refugee host countries and transit countries.
In 2023, France co-chaired the Global Refugee Forum, alongside Jordan, Japan, Colombia, and Uganda. We adopted robust commitments to support the UNHCR, to provide assistance to the countries that first receive refugees, and to ensure responsibility-sharing through capacity-building in the area of asylum and legal means of access to the territory (resettlement, humanitarian corridors, academic and professional pathways). France led the multi-stakeholder initiative “Avec Elles” to provide protection for integration of refugee women and girls throughout their journey in exile, which is supported by numerous partners.
3/ Our collective initiative is reflected in our strengthened support for the Global Compact on Refugees. By calling for shared responsibility, increased support for host communities and concrete solutions for integration or voluntary return, this Compact provides the framework for our joint action. It is an investment in stability. Allowing refugees to realize their potential in dignity, and supporting the host countries that welcome these communities, often at high cost, is vital.
Mr. High Commissioner, I would like to thank you once again, before the members of this Council, for your unwavering commitment to refugees and displaced persons and to all those who welcome them.
Thank you.