Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit discussed Monday with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi the latest developments regarding refugee issues in Arab countries.
Aboul Gheit listened to a presentation made by the UN Commissioner about the refugees, particularly the Sudanese who fled their country following the outbreak of armed clashes last month, said Jamal Rushdy, the spokesperson for the Arab League.
He said that the meeting touched on the visit of the Commissioner to the Egyptian-Sudanese border, the Qastal crossing, which represents the main gateway for Sudanese refugees to cross into Egypt, and the cooperation of the Egyptian authorities in dealing with the influx of Sudanese refugees, who have exceeded 160,000 since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan last April.
During the meeting, Aboul Gheit stressed the importance of UNHCR’s support to countries that receive refugees, especially given the lack of clarity in the situation in Sudan, stressing that a sustainable ceasefire is the first step necessary to stop the suffering of civilians and enable relief organizations to deal more effectively with the refugee situation.
The meeting also discussed the situation of Syrian refugees in various Arab countries, particularly in Lebanon and Jordan, which have borne the brunt of Syrian displacement in the Arab region, the spokesperson said.
It also stressed the need to work seriously to put in place a path that guarantees the voluntary and dignified return of refugees to their country, in cooperation with the Syrian government, as contained in the resolution adopted at the recent Arab Summit in Jeddah, he said, adding that the Secretary-General of the League stressed the great importance of the role of UNHCR in this regard.
