“What is done to respond to the food insecurity crisis (…) is of crucial importance to prevent more people from being displaced,” said Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner for UN refugees, during a press briefing on Thursday 16 June. He does not know how many, “but it will be a large number”, underlined the High Commissioner, presenting the 2021 annual report of the organization he leads. The Russian-led war is depriving the world of grain and fertilizer, driving up prices and threatening millions of people around the world with hunger.
“The impact, if not resolved quickly, will be devastating”, warns Mr. Grandi, before recovering: “It is already devastating”. This catastrophe in the making is occupying the ministerial conference of the WTO, meeting in Geneva, as well as the session of the Human Rights Council and the highest authorities of the UN. At the end of 2021, the world had 89.3 million refugees and IDPs, more than twice as many as 10 years ago, including 53.2 million IDPs and 27.1 million refugees. But Russia’s invasion has thrown between 12 and 14 million Ukrainians on the roads to seek refuge elsewhere in their country or abroad. A human flow which for the first time made cross, in May, the bar of 100 million uprooted people in the world.
We must “reach lasting solutions”, or “this dramatic trend” will continue
“Every year over the last decade the numbers have been steadily increasing,” recalled Filippo Grandi. “Either the international community mobilizes to react to this human tragedy, to put an end to the conflicts and achieve lasting solutions, or this dramatic trend will continue”. An enormous outpouring of solidarity – from populations and States – welcomed Ukrainians throughout Europe. A contrast with the treatment often reserved for refugees from other countries at war, Syrians or Afghans.
Mr. Grandi, who remembers the leaders telling him “we are full” when the refugees came from elsewhere, wants to see in it the sign that when we want we can. “I’m not naïve, I understand the context and that it can’t always be like this but it proves the important point that welcoming refugee flows on the coasts or at the borders of rich countries is manageable”, insists t- -he. He also points to the role of politicians who have helped the population to accept Ukrainians instead of insisting that “these people are coming to steal your jobs, threaten your security and destroy your values”.
