UN members adopt Global Compact on Refugees

An overwhelming majority of the UN member states on Monday voted in favour of the Global Compact on Refugees, affirming international solidarity and cooperation for refugee protection and host community development.

The compact on refugees, aimed to reduce the burden on host nations, received 181 votes in favour from the 193-member Assembly, days after a UN conference in Morocco adopted a similar compact on migration, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

"After two years of extensive consultations led by UNHCR (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) with member states, international organisations, refugees, civil society, the private business sector and experts, this new global deal will provide more robust support for the countries where most refugees live," said a press release.

"It will also strengthen the shared responsibility to aid those who are forced to flee by conflict or persecution," it added.

The compact aims to ease the burden on developing nations, which host 90 percent of some 25 million refugees, by providing more investment to further strengthen infrastructure and the provision of services for refugees and host communities, the release noted. - IANS