Ashraf AboArafe
Amid an era marked by profound political turmoil and mounting security challenges, the Arab Regional Consultative Process on Migration and Refugee Affairs commemorates World Refugee Day, paying tribute to millions of people who continue to seek the most fundamental rights guaranteed by international law and enshrined in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
On this occasion, we reaffirm the right of refugees to live in safety, dignity, and hope. We underscore the importance of fully implementing the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, particularly the principles of burden-sharing and responsibility-sharing, to strengthen refugee protection, enhance humanitarian assistance, and support host countries and communities that have carried this responsibility for decades.
We further emphasize that the growing number of regional conflicts and crises, while not always generating direct refugee movements, profoundly affect refugees already residing across the Arab region, many of whom remain among the most vulnerable members of society. These developments are also expected to influence broader patterns of human mobility throughout and beyond the region.
On this day, we reiterate that the issue of Palestinian refugees remains at the heart of the Palestinian cause. We categorically reject any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their homeland or within it. We reaffirm the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and stress the necessity of providing it with sustained financial, political, and legal support to enable it to fulfill its mandate under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302 (1949) across its five fields of operation.
We reject all attempts to diminish, replace, abolish, or alter the legal definition and status of Palestinian refugees as part of systematic efforts aimed at erasing the refugee issue from the international agenda. We further warn of the serious regional and international consequences that may result from any plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
We also draw attention to the displacement crisis in Sudan, one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in the world today. According to UNHCR, more than four million Sudanese refugees have fled to neighboring countries, while over 800,000 refugees previously residing in Sudan have been compelled to return to their countries of origin despite the persistence of the conditions that originally forced them to flee. This is in addition to the internal displacement of approximately 7.6 million people within Sudan itself.
In this regard, we emphasize the urgent need to support Sudan’s neighboring Arab countries—particularly Egypt—which continue to host large numbers of Sudanese refugees. Sustained international assistance remains essential to help these countries shoulder the growing burden and ensure the continuity of critical services provided to displaced populations.
As we mark World Refugee Day, we call upon the international community to maintain and strengthen its support for humanitarian organizations, including UNRWA, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and national bodies responsible for refugee affairs across the Arab States. Particular attention should be directed toward supporting the Arab region, which for decades has borne a disproportionate share of global displacement challenges while continuing to demonstrate solidarity, resilience, and commitment to humanitarian principles.
Today, we stand with refugees everywhere—not only in recognition of their suffering, but also in affirmation of their resilience, their dignity, and their enduring right to a future shaped by peace, security, and hope.
