• Grandi says funding cuts have left 11.6 million displaced people without assistance this year alone

• UN official argues EU pact could offer a 'comprehensive regional response' to asylum challenges
  
• Grandi acknowledges Türkiye's contributions, saying long-term hosting of Syrians 'deserves great recognition'

GENEVA

Global displacement has surged to record levels, nearly doubling in less than a decade, as humanitarian funding cuts leave millions without assistance and asylum debates grow increasingly polarized, outgoing UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told Anadolu in exclusive remarks.

"The statistics tell the story eloquently. Today, the total number of people forced to flee their homes stands at 117.3 million," said Grandi, whose term as chief of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, is set to end on Dec. 31.

"At the start of 2016, when I took up my role as head of UNHCR, it was a little over 65 million."

"New wars have erupted, old conflicts have reignited, and many of these crises last years, even decades, meaning that refugees remain exiled for longer," he explained.

He said the international response has at times struggled to keep pace with the scale of displacement amid political divisions and shrinking aid budgets, describing it as "discouraging."

"The debate over refugees and asylum is polarized. Humanitarian funding is being slashed: UNHCR assesses that around 11.6 million displaced people have lost assistance this year," Grandi said. "And some of the policies being proposed or used to manage asylum breach international law, or are in danger of doing so."

Response to migration remains a contentious debate as people continue crossing borders due to persecution, conflict, and human rights violations. While some emphasize international law and consider accepting migrants and refugees as a moral duty, the opposing side highlights concerns over border control.

The rising anti-immigrant rhetoric has resulted in funding cuts to humanitarian budgets, incommunicado detentions and forced return of migrants, and hardliners have also favored mass deportations and welfare cuts.

International refugee system 'resilient'

Despite these pressures, Grandi stressed, the global refugee protection framework remains intact.

"But there is another side. The international refugee system, in the broadest sense of the phrase, is resilient. The right to seek asylum, the principles and practices of international protection, the architecture of humanitarian work, and the dedication of those involved – is still standing."

He said the UNHCR is still working with governments to find longer-term solutions for refugees.

The high commissioner pointed to regional cooperation efforts as potential pathways toward more sustainable responses.

For instance, the EU pact, a common asylum system across the bloc, if implemented, "could provide a comprehensive, regional response to the challenges faced by states," Grandi said. "With the right safeguards, it will protect refugees."

He stressed that responsibility sharing by host countries and communities remains "critical" to preventing long-term dependency.

"All over the world, governments, organizations of all shapes and sizes, ordinary citizens and refugees themselves are still inspiring me with their determination, altruism and optimism – and their willingness to help," he said. "This spirit of responsibility sharing is sorely needed. Many countries with the largest refugee populations have hosted them generously for a long time, and included them in their labor, education, health and other systems."

"This is sensible because we risk trapping generations of refugees in a state of dependency if they cannot learn, earn a living, put a roof over their heads, and forge their own futures," he added.

Need for political and financial commitment

Grandi acknowledged that inclusive policies require political and financial commitment.

"Such inclusive policies are not the reality everywhere. They can be expensive, for one thing, and need buy-in from the public, governments, development organizations, international finance institutions and others," he said, explaining this policy shift is "a necessary one benefiting communities hosting refugees as well as the refugees themselves."

He emphasized the role of partnerships in easing the burden on host countries and expanding opportunities for displaced people.

"By fostering partnerships, we can increase funding, broaden educational opportunities, tackle the effects of the climate crisis, which are a reality for millions of displaced, create jobs and expand legal protections," he said. "This is what we tried to achieve with the Global Refugee Forums of 2019 and 2023, and the principles underpinning the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees."

Türkiye's efforts deserve 'great recognition'

Reflecting on the Syrian crisis, Grandi highlighted Türkiye’s role in hosting refugees.

"At the height of the Syrian crisis, Türkiye took in and sheltered large numbers of Syrians, generously keeping up this support for many years as the war intensified. This came at a cost and deserves great recognition," he said. According to UNHCR, Türkiye hosts over 3 million Syrians.

He said ongoing returns after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad last December show that displacement does not have to be permanent.

Syria’s new administration has been seeking to restore security and stabilize conditions, and voluntary returns from neighboring countries have increased significantly.

"Now, more than a million Syrian refugees, and many more who were internally displaced, are returning to their old communities. It is proof that when the conditions are right, people will return home," Grandi said.