I spent my first World Refugee Day as High Commissioner, in Ethiopia

Marking #WorldRefugeeDay at Ura Camp in Ethiopia, High Commissioner Barham Salih joined refugees and the host community in a moving commemoration. Ura shows what is possible when protection is matched with inclusion, creating opportunities for refugees and host communities alike. Ethiopia is one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries, home to over 1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers, including more than 45,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan since April 2023. Ura settlement hosts more than 14,500 Sudanese refugees, who live alongside the local community and have access to the same services. Transcript This is my first World Refugee Day as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and I chose to spend it in Ethiopia. Today was truly overwhelming in every sense of the word. These people have really been traumatized, fled carnage, fled the most brutal of all wars, yet retain that spirit, that generosity, that affirmation of life. As a former refugee myself, I know what it means to be forced to leave your home. Fleeing is one of the hardest choices anyone can make but becoming a refugee should never define a person's entire life. Around the world, millions of refugees remain trapped in dependency, relying on a shrinking amount of humanitarian aid simply just to survive. We must do better. What I have seen in Ethiopia demonstrates a simple truth. When refugees are given the opportunity to work, learn and to contribute, everyone benefits. UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, works to protect and assist those fleeing war and persecution. Since 1950, we have helped tens of millions of people find safety and rebuild their lives. With your support, we can restore hope for many more. Learn more on our website: http://UNHCR.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------