During my decade as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, I had the immense privilege of witnessing first-hand the courage, resilience and perseverance of refugees.  

I met countless refugees who survived dire and dangerous circumstances — seeing family and friends killed, and homes and neighborhoods destroyed.

Many fled conflicts only to suffer discrimination, abuse and outright violence while on the move.

Others — especially women and young people, who represent the majority of refugees globally — fell into the merciless and exploitative grip of human traffickers. 

But, at the same time, I saw something more.

I witnessed the enormous generosity of many host countries and communities who welcomed newcomers with great hospitality.

And let me add, these were often some of the poorest countries and communities in the world.  

I saw governments bravely upholding international protection standards and providing asylum — often in the face of domestic political pressure to do otherwise.

I saw refugees lending their hands and their hearts to host countries.

Boosting economies. Creating businesses and jobs. And enriching the national fabric.

These experiences reinforced my belief that protecting and supporting refugees on every step of their journeys is a moral obligation, a practical necessity and an economic imperative. 

Record numbers of people are being pushed from their homes, fleeing violence, insecurity and danger.  From the Sahel to Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen — to the DRC [The Democratic Republic of the Congo], Myanmar and Somalia — to the utter devastation we are witnessing in Gaza. 

These humanitarian nightmares have displaced 114 million people this year — 36 million of whom are refugees, fleeing across borders. 

We must never forget:

These statistics represent people — people with dreams — people with hopes.

Women and men with skills and ideas. Children with plans and ambitions.

People with the same rights as every member of the human family — to safety, food, water, shelter and dignity.

People who deserve every chance at a better future.

Protection and help for refugees should not be a lottery, or a disproportionate burden that falls on a few countries and communities based on their geographic location.

 It is an obligation shared by all of humanity. 

We must match the generosity of host countries and communities with far greater international solidarity and support at the regional and global levels — as set out in the Global Compact for Refugees.

And we must create the conditions for peace so refugees can return safely to their homes.

We need to build much stronger political will to end conflicts, and reverse the cycle of division, destruction and denial of human rights that drives people from their homes and places tens of millions of people in harm’s way.

In 2024 and beyond, let’s pledge to continue matching the courage and resilience of every refugee with our own steadfast commitment to help them rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

Let’s meet this collective responsibility together.

Excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s remarks to the Virtual Closing of the Global Refugee Forum,          15 December 2023.