Georgia’s PM Address UN Refugee Summit

Addressing the UN General Assembly’s first-ever Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York on September 19, Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the root causes of forced displacement – conflicts and violation of international law, should be tackled to “ensure the situation does not get out of control.”

“The burden of forced displacement has not bypassed Georgia,” he said, adding that Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia “have witnessed several waves of ethnic cleansing under occupation by the Russian Federation” with about 400,000 people forcibly displaced.

“Prospects of their safe return are grim with ongoing installation of barbed wire fences along the occupation line,” he said. “Meanwhile ethnic Georgians in the occupied territories continue to suffer from daily discrimination.”

He said that against the backdrop of increasing forced displacement around the globe, Georgia “is committed to pulling its weight.” 

“We have already received more than 4 000 asylum seekers from various parts of the world – Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt, and Somalia,” the PM said. “Georgian Universities offer educational programmes for students from displaced communities. We are committed to continuing our assistance in the educational sphere, together with interested partners, including donor countries or organisations that can provide financial support to this initiative.”

He said that the “gravity of the situation” requires international community’s proactive and coordinated response.

“Violation of international law is one of the root causes of conflicts. If we can ensure all actors abide by the law and strictly observe their commitments, we can start to move towards a more peaceful world,” he said.
 
The Georgian PM is expected to address annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly on September 21.

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