The countries taking part in the USA -led coalition include that who are among the most burdened by the migrant crisis like Germany, Sweden and Canada.
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In his speech, Obama said many nations are “doing the right thing” on the refugee issue, but countries “with wealth and the benefits of geography” can do more to offer a hand to the displaced people.
Washington has said the United States will raise the number of refugees entering the country by 25,000 to 110,000 in the next fiscal year, which begins in October.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has welcomed the significant new support committed today by governments to improve protection and solutions for refugees at the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees, convened by US President Barack Obama in NY.
The summit was also attended by several countries suffering from the influx of refugees, including Turkey, which is home to over 2.5 million Syrian refugees. Seven EU states are set to admit at least 10 times more migrants than previous year.
Countries also boosted financial contributions to United Nations appeals and worldwide humanitarian organizations by about $4.5 billion over 2015 levels.
Power said there were also pledges to increase the number of refugees in schools by some 1 million globally.
Mr Obama lamented that the world has become safer and more prosperous at the same time that nations are struggling with a devastating refugee crisis, terrorism and a breakdown in basic order in the Middle East.
This week’s declaration merely kicks the can down the road until 2018, when global compacts to help both refugees and regular migrants are to be adopted. “And those countries that are amongst the world’s worst abusers of refugee rights, such as Australia and European Union states, can not be allowed to tout small offers of help as a generous response to the crisis”.
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. “Refugees, a lot of them women and children, are often fleeing war and terrorism”.
The Obama administration itself has said it will raise the number of refugees entering the United States to 110,000 next year, up from 85,000 this year. The Republican has built his unlikely campaign around a steadfast promise – mocked by some, hailed by others – to build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it.
“I believe we can not allow ourselves to stop here”. ‘If we can do that, we will pave the way for political dialogue, ‘ he said. Obama’s longstanding differences with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his actions in Ukraine have accompanied intense disagreement over Syria’s future and a series of failed attempts by Russia and the U.S.to resolve the civil war there together.
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Yet Obama had a deeper message, too, one unrelated to Trump but uniquely suited for an address to the 193-member global body.
