The representatives of the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency called on the international community to support refugee hosting countries and communities and provide development assistance to put an end to future Afghan displacement
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 17th June, 2019) The representatives of the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency called on the international community to support refugee hosting countries and communities and provide development assistance to put an end to future Afghan displacement.The 6th Quadripartite Steering Committee Meeting held here with Minister for SAFRON Shehryar Khan Afridi in the chair.
Afghanistan's Minister of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi, Iran's Deputy Minister of Interior for Security and Disciplinary Affairs Hossein Zolfaghari, and UNHCR's Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific Indrika Ratwatte were also present on the occasion.The purpose of the meeting was to discuss developments and challenges in the implementation of the multi-year regional Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) to support voluntary repatriation, sustainable reintegration and assistance to host countries and to improve the implementation mechanisms and coordinated efforts.
All parities reaffirmed their commitment to the SSAR and agreed to extend it to year 2021 and extendable as a valid framework for identifying and implementing solutions for Afghan refugees. The representatives reiterated their call for joint advocacy and resource mobilization to support the implementation of the strategy. The participants urged the development actors and other partners to help provide adequate, tangible and predictable support and assistance in support of the implementation of the SSAR.
The parties reaffirmed their assurance to the principle of voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity and called for joint efforts to create an environment conducive to phased, gradual and orderly voluntary return and sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan, as well as to continue to more appropriately support host communities in Iran and Pakistan, within the SSAR framework.Addressing the participants, Minister SAFRON Shehryar Afridi said Pakistan has been hosting our Afghan brethren in line with the spirit and precedence set by the Ansaar of Madinah who sacrificed their lives and assets by sharing everything with the migrants from Makkah who had to migrate along with Holy Prophet (PBUH).
He said this moot has once again highlighted the need for the world community to understand the pain of being displaced which cannot be fully removed despite consolation by the host countries of Iran and Pakistan."Though the recent war and conflict in Syria and Iraq, it seems the priorities of the global community are fast changing under the influence of world powers and Afghan refugees issues have been put on the backburner. Due to this new change in priorities, Pakistan and Iran have been left to suffer the most as both our states are already suffering due to certain sanctions by the US," said the Minister.
However, the minister proposed all participants not to get swayed along with the global trends on refugee issue."Rather, since the world has been a witness to the magnitude of pain of displaced people of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have gone through due to the Afghan conflict, UNHCR must stand by our region and advocate to the world community not to change its priorities on whims and wishes of global partners and rather fulfil commitments made to the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran to help facilitate the smooth repatriation of Afghan refugees," he maintained.
