Refugees: EU, “86% of displaced persons hosted in developing countries”. Funds for schools, health, employment

“No country, no region in the world has been spared from the impact of COVID-19. The virus is exacerbating existing inequalities and has a disproportionate effect on refugees, internally displaced persons, vulnerable migrants and stateless persons. We must all redouble our efforts”, the EU Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs said in a recently issued joint statement. “86% of the world’s refugees are hosted in developing countries, which are also facing serious challenges because of the pandemic. Despite these challenges, the pandemic has also brought us together. We have seen countless examples of refugees and their host communities joining efforts and stepping up in the most difficult moments, showing yet again the enormous potential of refugees to flourish in their new homes, when given enough support”. The statement goes on to say: “It is our responsibility to support refugees as well as host countries in this difficult context. We assist in meeting people’s basic needs and in fostering social inclusion through access to education, health, employment and livelihoods”. The EU “has been at the forefront of the international response to major refugee crises, such as those affecting Syrians, Venezuelans and their host communities”. On the occasion of this World Refugee Day, we are announcing a new initiative, the “Lives in Dignity Grant Facility”, that “seeks new forms of collaboration between humanitarian, development and peace actors to address the most challenging situations of forced displacement in the world”. The first €12 million of the €24 million seed funding will “focus on regions in Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa”.

Valentina Bombelli