NEW YORK: With an unprecedented number of refugees worldwide and a rising backlash in Europe, a senior UN official is cautioning against seeking hasty political solutions.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, points to an unlikely source, the war in Ukraine, as a model for handling refugee crises. The conflict led to an exodus of refugees, most of whom were welcomed in Europe.
Despite initial concerns about the impact of Ukrainian refugees, European nations’ decisions to provide them access to education, healthcare, employment, and freedom of movement have actually contributed to social cohesion, Grandi told AFP.
“It’s a valuable lesson that inclusion, rather than exclusion, is an effective approach to sustaining these responses,” he remarked as world leaders gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly.
Recently, Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa has experienced a significant influx of migrants, with around 8,500 people arriving between Monday and Wednesday last week. The European Union pledged action, and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini referred to the arrivals as an “act of war.”
Grandi, who is Italian, expressed concern over the issue’s politicization. He expressed concern over excessive political maneuvering in this matter, noting that politicians frequently resort to seeking rapid solutions and using slogans to convey a sense of control.
It doesn’t work that way. We need to explain to the public that these are complex challenges that demand time, resources, and diverse solutions.”
He emphasized that there is no “invasion” or “catastrophe” and that addressing migration necessitates collaboration among countries.
