Meeting with CEOs of some of the companies and actor George Clooney and his wife, Amal, before the summit, Obama welcomed the pledges as more than an “extraordinary gesture of compassion”.
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But even as some countries tout a new dedication to assisting the rising numbers of people uprooted by conflict, refugee advocates warn that a pulling back from some goals and a watering down of some commitments could leave the displaced in no better shape than they are now.
But Ambassador Samantha Power said that was “still only a fraction” of what was needed because the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has assessed that some 1.2 million refugees need to be resettled. The high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said it represented “a political commitment of unprecedented force and resonance” that would fill “a perennial gap in the global refugee protection system – that of truly sharing responsibility for refugees”.
JUDY WOODRUFF: But for many leaders, Syria topped the agenda.
He added, however, that after 10 years as the top United Nations official, he is more convinced than ever that we have the power to end war, poverty and persecution.
Why wait another two years? “But I do not believe this is charity”, he stressed. “Why do we need such a circuitous route to get there?”
“This summit definitely didn’t provide us with the solutions the world needed”, agreed Josephine Liebl, a humanitarian policy adviser with Oxfam.
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta persists in his pledge to close Dabaab, the world’s largest refugee camp, by the end of the year.
“We must concentrate our strengths and thwart North Korea’s plans”, Abe said. At least half a dozen small island nations including Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Kiribati will also follow suit. Several of those countries have been struggling under the burden of hosting refugees. “Meanwhile, the people’s suffering and plight are worsening”.
“The despicable acts of sexual exploitation and abuse committed by a number of United Nations peacekeepers and other personnel have compounded the suffering of people already caught up in armed conflict, and undermined the work done by so many others around the world”, Ban said.
“Is it fair in this complicated world for any one country to yield such disproportionate power and hold the world hostage on so many important issues?”
Refugee pledges, but what about migrants?
President Barack Obama often touts the “historic” significance of actions he has taken as president and he certainly lived up to that billing Tuesday when he went before the United Nations and likely became the first president in US history to call for LESS freedom.
In addition to his speech, Obama on Tuesday planned to host a summit on refugees.
He also appeared to critique Trump’s proposal to raise tariffs on imports from China and Mexico, a move many economists say would lead to a trade war.
“Countries have to be able to exercise control over their borders”, she said. More than 80 people have been killed in the protests. “UNHCR didn’t want to discuss those people”, he said.
At the heart of that approach, Mr Obama said, was the notion that the biggest conflicts were best solved when nations cooperated rather than tackling them individually.
In general, Betts was critical of what he called a lack of “visionary objective and proactive leadership” from the UN. Obama called on wealthier nations to step up, adding that “we all have to do more”.
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Jordan has already handed out 28,000 work permits to Syrians this year and expects to offer more.
