UNHCR

Title: UNHCR Global Trends 2014: High Commissioner Guterres

Press Conference
Filename: 2015-06-16-switzerland-geneva-high-commissionerguterres-press-conference-on-global-trends-2014.mp4
Location: Switzerland, Geneva, Palais des Nations
Language: Nat / English
Source: UNHCR
Date Shot: June 16, 2015
Duration: 7:24
Format: 16:9
Transcript of the Press Conference
10:00:00:00
One year ago, when presenting the global trends 2013, we have
announced that for the first time since the Second World War, the
number of people displaced by conflict in the world was over fifty
million, more precisely, 50.2 million.
10:00:23:00
Unfortunately, today I have to announce that the number of people
displaced by conflict at the end of 2014, is fifty nine point five
million (59.5 million) and that means an increase of sixteen percent
(16%) in relation to last year, and an increase of sixty percent (60%)
in relation to ten years ago.
10:00:49:07
But more dramatic than this fact is the staggering acceleration we
are witnessing in displacement by conflict.
10:01:01:02
In 2010, we had eleven thousand (11000) people displaced by
conflict per day.
In 2011, we had fourteen thousand (14000) people displaced by
conflict per day. In 2012, twenty three thousand (23000). In 2013,
thirty two thousand (32000). And now in 2014, at the end of 2014,
we have counted forty two thousand and five hundred (42500).
10:01:43:13
Now, this is a staggering acceleration, in which we have essentially
two thirds of internally displaced, one third of refugees and today
about one thousand eight hundred (1800) asylum seekers around
the world, and half of them are children and the number of children
proportionally, has been steadily growing also in the last few years.
10:02:13:03

A staggering acceleration as I mentioned, but this is just a

symptom, displacement is just a symptom of the state of the world.
And if in any day, we see the news of any international news
channel, it looks like the world is a world at war.
10:02:36:06
And large regions of the world are today in a mess. And for those
political leaders or those supporting them, that believe that
humanitarians will have the capacity to clean up the mess, I think its
time to say clearly, that, that is no longer the case.
10:02:58:22
We dont have the capacity, and essentially, we dont have the
resources to support all the victims of conflicts around the world,
and to provide them with the very minimum level of protection and
assistance. We are no longer able to pick up the pieces.
10:03:20:01
Just to give you an indication, UNHCR in 2015 according to our
estimates will be only able to spend two hundred to three hundred
million dollars less than in 2014. In 2015, less than in 2014.
10:03:40:12
And as you can imagine, the needs are increasing every day. If you
look at the situation of the world food program (WFP), in many
countries of the world, they are forced now to reduce the food
support to populations in need: refugees, Internally displaced, all,
the poor populations of those countries.
10:04:02:13
Only one in each two refugees, children refugees is able to attend
primary school, only one in four is able to attend secondary school.
10:04:13:23
Less than one percent is able to attend tertiary school. It is now
absolutely clear, that we are not able to deliver in relation to the
minimum standards that we would like to be able to implement,
taking into account the dramatic needs and the terrible suffering of
the populations we support.
10:04:42:05
So this is the moment for the International Community to renew its
commitment to the 51 convention. This is the moment first of all for
those countries that have leverage, that have influence on the
parties to the different conflicts we are facing because they
support them with money or weapons, or because they have
influence in the region to come together and to put an end to this
multiplication of conflicts we are witnessing.

10:05:13:02
It is also important for the International community to understand
that humanitarian funding needs to accompany the dramatic growth
of the suffering of the people with we deal with and that
development funding that is six to eight times the value of
humanitarian funding needs to come together, in order to be able to
use the synergies of the two aspects working together.
Humanitarian and Development need to be the two faces of the
same coin, able to address the problems of the populations in
distress, but also of those communities that are supporting them,
namely the refugee hosting countries, many of them are having a
dramatic impact in their economies and their societies.
10:06:03:22
And, then, final appeal, to make sure that all countries of the world
respect the 51 convention, that all countries of the world keep their
borders open, close to the areas of conflict, but also further afield.
That legal avenues to reach safety are provided to people. It really is
very dramatic to see still refugees fleeing conflicts and dying in the
Mediterranean or in the Andaman Sea.
10:06:37:07
And that, at the same time, societies are able to fight the growing
trends of xenophobia and rejection we are witnessing in so many
public opinions in the world. Facing this dramatic increase in
displacement that is a clear demonstration of a quantum leap in
conflicts in the world. It is time for the International Community to
assume its responsibilities not only to the people in distress, but its
responsibilities to be able to prevent or bring solutions to the
conflicts that are causing so much suffering
10:07:27:04
END