UN committed to mobilize int'l support to refugee-hosting countries: Guterres

By Firdevs Bulut Kartal

TORONTO (AA) - Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that the UN is committed to providing international support to countries hosting refugees.

"We are totally committed to mobilize international support to the refugee-hosting countries," Guterres said at a press briefing.

He was responding to a question by an Anadolu reporter regarding whether the UN would provide assistance to nations, including Türkiye, that host Syrians and call for international cooperation to ensure their safe and dignified return.

In order for the refugees to return to their countries, they must first be guaranteed that they will not be "persecuted," said Guterres.

The UN is currently engaged in discussions with the authorities of these countries on these matters, and the international community should lend support to projects aimed at facilitating the integration of returning refugees into the societies they go back to, Guterres stated.

- 'Europe should define an effective migration policy'

Referring to the capsized fishing boat carrying irregular migrants off the Peloponnese in Greece, Guterres said, "I was terribly shocked and impressed by the horrible events that took place close to the Greek coasts."

"It is time for people to recognize that migration is inevitable," he said.

Guterres stated the world needs migration but migration needs to be done in a regular and orderly way.

"If countries do not engage in creating the conditions for an orderly and regular migration, migrants will be in the hands of smugglers and traffickers and the consequences will be as tragic as we have seen yesterday (in the Greek coast)," Guterres warned.

Concerning the capsized boat, Guterres said: "This is not a Greek problem. This is a European problem. I think it's time for Europe to be able in solidarity, to define an effective migration policy for these situations to not happen again".