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UN member states voted overwhelmingly to affirm the new Global Compact on Refugees

Today, UN member states voted overwhelmingly to affirm the new Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The goal of the GCR is to forge a stronger, fairer, more predictable response to global refugee movements.

RefugePoint is particularly gratified that the GCR aligns so closely with the mission that we have pursued since our founding, and will continue to pursue. This includes expanding opportunities for refugee self-reliance and expanding access to third countries through resettlement and other pathways of admission. RefugePoint also shares the goal of supporting host communities and easing pressure on countries hosting large numbers of refugees. 

Congratulations to UNHCR for leading the challenging two-year process of negotiating this historic text. This is the most significant international agreement on refugees of our generation — arguably the most significant since the 1951 Refugee Convention, which is the foundation of international refugee law. The GCR reaffirms the ongoing relevance of the 1951 Convention, and comes at a time when the number of refugees globally is the highest ever recorded (over 25.4 million refugees globally).

While the governments of the world affirmed this Compact, it belongs to all of us and it is incumbent on us to find ways to support its aims. RefugePoint will redouble its efforts to create and expand solutions for refugees and to support the humanitarian community to do the same.

To learn more about the GCR and its importance, check out this video created by UNHCR.