The Assistant High Commissioner UN refugees' agency George Okoth Obb has said the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have decided to support platform for Afghan refugees. He was speaking during inauguration of cold chain warehouse, first ever vaccine storage facility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here on Thursday.
The first ever Global Refugee Forum will be formally launched next month (December) is the first major meeting on refugees of the 21st century.
Okoth Obbo explained that the Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) Support Platform will seek stronger political and financial commitments to accelerate concrete results.
He informed that UNCHR and the governments of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have decided to launch a Support Platform to enhance international solidarity for the Afghan refugee situation.
George Okoth Obbo said that he was pleased to learn that UNHCR has built vaccine storage facilities in both the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces which are hosting the largest numbers of refugees.
"In the last five years, UNHCR has helped channel more than 38 million dollars to Pakistan to just to support health care" he said, adding that the international community values Pakistan's generous support towards Afghan refugees despite facing its own economic and social challenges.
Okoth Obbo reiterated UNHCR's commitment to help mobilize additional political, financial and technical support for sustainable solutions for Afghan refugees.
Pakistan is one of five co-conveners of this world meeting on refugees, which presents a unique opportunity for the international community to make a tangible and long term difference in the lives of refugees and the communities that host them.
Present on the occasion, Minister of State for Frontier Region (SAFRON) Shehryar Afridi urged United Nation Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to tell world that Pakistan is a best host country for refugees.
Shehryar Afridi said that millions of Afghan refugees were living in Pakistan but unfortunately the image of Pakistan is not good in world so the UNHCR should portray the role of country in help and support of refugees.
He said that Pakistan always supported Afghan refugees in all cadre including health, education, business and others.
He said that 1.4 million Afghan Refugees are registered while 68 percent are living out of camps in Pakistan and 60,000 visits Pakistan per month via visa. 0.84 million have Afghan Citizen Cards while 1.4 million have Prof of Registration, Afridi added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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