For the first time in history, the number of displaced persons worldwide has surpassed 100 million. The war in Ukraine and other conflicts are responsible for this development, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva announced in a broadcast on Monday. “This is a record that should never have been achieved,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
“This should be a wake-up call to resolve and prevent destructive conflict, end persecution and address the root causes that force innocent people to flee.” The number includes refugees and asylum seekers, as well as 53.2 million internally displaced persons.
90 million refugees already registered by the end of 2021
By the end of 2021, the number of displaced people worldwide had risen to 90 million. According to the UNHCR, this was caused by new waves of violence or protracted conflicts in countries such as Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, the war in Ukraine this year has displaced eight million people in the country and more than six million have fled abroad.
Humanitarian aid only “Palliative” and “No Cure”
“The international response to people fleeing the war in Ukraine has been overwhelmingly positive,” Grandi said. “Compassion is alive and we need a similar mobilization for all crises in the world.” Ultimately, however, humanitarian aid is only a “sedative” and “not a cure”. “To reverse the trend, there is only one answer: peace and stability,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
On June 16, UNHCR will publish its annual Global Trends report with global, regional and national data on forced displacement for 2021. It already contains updates until April 2022.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
