“We will seek investments in a variety of sectors, among them emerging digital technology, which seems especially promising as a way to provide solutions to the particular problems that dislocated people often face”, Soros writes.
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The declaration is not legally binding and lacks concrete commitments but calls on countries to protect refugees’ human rights, boost humanitarian aid and work on their resettlement.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose report on refugees and migrants laid the basis for the summit document, said he was aware of the criticism from non-governmental groups.
The declaration is also said to include plans for a campaign to combat xenophobia.
Ahead of this week’s summits, the Obama administration announced the United States will take in 110,000 refugees from around the world, including a “significant” number of Syrians, in the fiscal year that starts October 1.
“The overall climate is not very favorable to receiving refugees in many parts of the world but on the one hand, states committed to this so we can remind them of their obligations”.
On one hand, that seems an acknowledgment of the political moment.
Leaders also called for a more orderly and equitable system to manage refugee flows – acknowledging the burden is shouldered disproportionally by certain regions. She has been raising money to educate Syrian refugee children. Throughout we have, of course, continued to reaffirm the obligation of states to respect global law, worldwide human rights law, and where applicable, worldwide refugee law and worldwide humanitarian law.
“The task of providing such a refuge falls most heavily on those states that are directly embroiled in strife, their neighbors, and on the nations along nearby exit corridors”, Kerry said.
It is an achievement, in other words, that satisfies few.
Both Ban and Obama were making their final speeches at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. Last week, South Sudan joined the ranks of Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia – countries with over 1 million of their citizens living as refugees overseas. The agency differentiates between refugees and migrants as people forced to flee persecution or armed conflict, as against those who choose to move in search of better prospects.
World leaders are meeting in NY where the United Nations General Assembly is holding the first-ever summit on “Addressing large movements of refugees and migrants”.
Still, advocates for refugees expressed disappointment that the U.N.’s need for consensus meant that the stronger provisions in the declaration had been watered down.
In addition to calling for improved economic conditions and education for refugees, delegates and United Nations officials are asking countries to step up and share the responsibility to host refugees.
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“Our goal is to harness the private sector for public good”, Soros said.
