Enlarged G7 foreign ministers’ meeting on refugees and displaced persons worldwide
Bern, 29.09.2015 - New York, 29.09.2015 – Address by the Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter on the occasion of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly - Check against delivery
Mr Secretary General,
Mr High Commissioner,
Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The number of crises and armed conflicts has been on the rise since the beginning of the decade, resulting in forced displacement on a scale not seen since the Second World War. Our world lacks stability; crisis is the new normal. We need more human and financial resources to address these crises. Most of all, we need political will to act responsibly, jointly and immediately.
I want to underline three points:
1) We need to share both burden and responsibility fairly. In this regard I would like to commend the tremendous efforts being made by countries hosting refugees and displaced persons;
2) I want to reiterate that humanitarian action must not –indeed, cannot – be any substitute for a state’s responsibility to provide protection and assistance to its population, or for efforts to find a political solution to armed conflicts;
3) It must be remembered that all parties to armed conflict have obligations under international humanitarian law, which include protection for the civilian population.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Humanitarian needs surpass by far the financial means of humanitarian organisations such as the ICRC and UNHCR. According to UNOCHA, the United Nations’ humanitarian appeals this year have attracted only 43% of the necessary funding. We have a shared responsibility to act.
Also, more must be done to find solutions, prevent crises and increase the resilience of the affected countries, especially those hosting the people fleeing from conflict and disaster.
Switzerland is doing its share to support humanitarian actors, and has increased its humanitarian budget by 50% over the past four years to over 500 million US dollars.
Two weeks ago the Swiss Government decided to allocate an additional 72 million US dollars to the Syria and Iraq crisis, to the greater Horn of Africa context, and to transit routes. This is certainly not enough, but if others also do more, we can make a difference to people and countries in need.
Switzerland is also helping to find solutions for people fleeing to Europe. For example, we have just decided to allow more refugees stranded in Italy and Greece to come legally to Switzerland.
Finally, Switzerland wants to strengthen the capacity of neighbouring countries to provide protection and access to basic services for refugees. This should not be done at the expense of the host communities.
This is why, for example, Switzerland has rehabilitated 42 schools in Lebanon and Jordan in recent months. Some 28,000 pupils attend these schools. We are currently redoubling this effort and refurbishing an additional 42 schools for another 28,000 pupils in the same countries.
To conclude, let me reaffirm Switzerland’s commitment to remain engaged in the search for innovative ways to respond effectively to the protection and assistance needs of refugees and internally displaced persons.
I thank you.
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