Delivered by Ambassador Hans Brattskar
Thank you, co-chair.
At the outset, we join other delegations in expressing our sincere appreciation for UNHCR’s tireless efforts in trying to find common ground and consensus around a global compact on refugees.
We believe the final draft reflects a willingness to meet states’ demands.
We have heard many calls for amendments to paragraph 12 throughout the earlier consultations. We believe the final draft strikes a balance that takes into account many of these calls. New amendments to this wording could easily raise new concerns. We would therefore caution against this.
We take note of the renaming of the proposed mechanisms for burden- and responsibility sharing, now being called arrangements.
We support the idea of a Global Refugee Forum and can accept the convening of the forum every four years, with a high-level officials’ meeting every two years between the Forums.
We agree that in the years in which Forums take place, there will be no High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges.
We are pleased to see resettlement places maintained in the final draft as an example of the kind of pledges and contributions states can make at the Global Refugee Forums.
In order to broaden the support base, it is important to encourage different forms of pledges and contributions. Although the text has been modified at this point, we believe it still encompasses this perspective.
We support the reminder of flexible, multi-year and un-earmarked humanitarian assistance in relation to the solidarity conferences.
We note that a reference to indicators has been reinserted in the follow-up section. Let me be clear: Norway supports the development of indicators. We want to measure progress and show that we deliver on our pledges.
However, a renewed discussion on the modalities of the development of indicators is not likely to prove fruitful. We therefore support the wording as it stands in the final draft.
Co-chair,
This morning a proposal was put forward to revisit the reference to General Assembly resolutions in paragraph 5. The current wording refers to resolution 46/182 and all subsequent General Assembly resolutions on the subject, including resolution 71/127.
As we see it, this is agreed language from the UNHCR omnibus resolution, which was adopted by consensus in the UN General Assembly last year.
Co-chair,
The development of a global compact on refugees has been a long and interesting journey. We have had many opportunities to express our views and listen to those of other delegations. This has been valuable in itself.
Norway believes that we – the international community – must seize this opportunity to agree on a basis from where we can work to close the existing gap in burden- and responsibility sharing. Not doing so, would be a mistake.
We believe the GCR provides a platform to deliver concrete results. It also sets the course for keeping the needs of refugees and host countries high on the political agenda in the years to come.
Only through strengthened international cooperation, will we be able to make a difference.
On that basis, we support the final draft as a consensus text.
Thank you.