United Nations _ Agencies
The United Nations General Assembly on Monday adopted a large majority of a global Charter on refugees to improve its international administration, while the United States and Hungary opposed it.
The text was ratified by 181 countries, while the United States and Hungary were exhibitors, and three abstained.
Like the Charter on migration, the Global Charter on refugees is not binding. The two texts were taken from the New York Declaration adopted unanimously in 2016 by the 193 members of the United Nations to improve their ability to better receive refugees and migrants and, if possible, to facilitate their return to their countries of origin.
The text was drafted under the auspices of the Geneva-based High Commission for Refugees under the Italian Presidency, Filippo Grande, and aims to facilitate an appropriate international response to the influx of refugees in large numbers and to protracted refugee situations.
The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ecuadorean Maria Fernanda Espinosa, told AFP, "It will allow for enhanced assistance and protection for the 25 million people registered in the world."
The document contains four main objectives: to relieve pressure on receiving States, to increase the independence of refugees, to broaden the scope for finding solutions that require the participation of other States, and to contribute to securing the conditions necessary for the safe and dignified return of refugees to their countries of origin.
Contrary to the document on immigration, the United States has been involved in the 18-month-long refugee negotiations.
The Charter on immigration, adopted in July July unanimously with the exception of the United States, from which many countries withdrew since then will be tabled in the General Assembly for ratification.
