The Global Refugee Forum @ https://www.unhcr.org/news/2023-global-refugee-forum

The world's largest gathering in support of refugees and their hosts is taking take place 12-15 December, 2023 at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

 From 13-15 December, Geneva will host the world’s largest international gathering on refugees, when politicians and diplomats, refugees and refugee-led organizations, UN agencies, development banks, businesses, charities and foundations, mayors, faith-based groups, students and many others will unite to address the challenges faced by refugees, and by those who host them.

Uganda@GRF 

Uganda is one of the five co-convenor States for the second GRF together with Columbia, France, Japan, and Jordan.

The Uganda delegation is led by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister- Robinah Nabbanja. The other co-convenors have confirmed as follows.

Purpose of the GRF

The purpose of the GRF is to bring together all the relevant stakeholders; States, development partners, private sectors, academia, civil society, and refugees to discuss and make commitments towards the realization of the four objects of the Global Compact on Refugees as follows;

1. Ease pressure on host countries. This is by; Additional, multi-year, innovative and quality financing for humanitarian, development and peace cooperation, new support for climate action, adaptation and resilient human settlements.
2. Enhance refugee self-reliance. By; New financial, technical and material support for host country policies, services and systems that advance inclusion, pending a durable solution new job opportunities and access to financial products and services to advance economic inclusion.
3. Expand access to third country solutions. Through; Increased opportunities for resettlement and family reunification Access to additional safe complementary pathways, including labour mobility, education and others.
4. Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity. By; Strengthened financial and political support for voluntary sustainable return and reintegration, including access to services Strengthened measures to address root causes, prevent conflict and build peace in countries of origin

What is the Forum hoping to achieve? 

At the heart of the GRF are pledges and contributions – commitments by those stakeholders mentioned above that advance the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees to achieve tangible benefits for refugees and host communities. 

For the 2023 Forum, UNHCR is encouraging multi-stakeholder pledges – joint, large-scale pledges that have an ambitious common goal. They aim to be transformational, putting in place long-term policy and practical arrangements that advance burden and responsibility-sharing, drawing from a clearly defined resource base, donorship, or financial instrument linked to their implementation. 

They will focus on areas crucial to the lives of refugees, including:  

• Financing 
• Climate action 
• Social and economic inclusion 
• Resettlement and complementary pathways 
• Labour mobility 
• Peacebuilding 
• Localisation 
• Connectivity 
• Education 

… and several others, including specific refugee situations. 

Extract @UNHCR