Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, has urged governments to shift focus away from tightening border controls as a response to growing displacement crises in Lebanon and Sudan.
Addressing diplomats and ministers at the UNHCR’s annual meeting, Grandi emphasized that border measures alone are ineffective and often violate international law.
With a record 123 million people displaced globally due to conflict, poverty, persecution, and climate change, Grandi called on leaders to address the root causes of displacement rather than relying solely on restrictive border policies.
He warned that displacement could worsen in Lebanon, where over one million people have been displaced due to escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Grandi also highlighted the urgent need for increased support for Sudanese refugees, noting that a lack of resources is driving many to dangerous migration routes across the Mediterranean and the Channel.
He stressed that the UNHCR’s response to the Sudan crisis remains severely underfunded, with only one-third of the necessary resources secured.
He further called for global collaboration to develop fair and lawful asylum systems, urging nations to avoid unlawful initiatives such as outsourcing asylum processes, which violate international norms.
