STATEMENT
The 70th Session of the UNHCR Executive Committee (ExCom)
7–11 October 2019
Statement by Marianne Hagen, State Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Check against delivery
8 October 2019
Chair,
Norway is a strong supporter of the Global Compact on Refugees. With the Global Compact, the New York Declaration of 2016 and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework, we have a strengthened and consolidated foundation for the international community’s efforts to address the refugee situations of our time.
Protection of refugees and a comprehensive response to refugee situations will continue to be a priority in Norway’s humanitarian policy, as outlined in our humanitarian strategy launched last year.
Norway shares the ambition of making the Global Refugee Forum a successful vehicle for more predictable and equitable burden- and responsibility-sharing, in line with the Global Compact. It is important to take a long-term perspective that will benefit both refugees and host communities.
A green response to refugee situations is one of Norway’s priorities in this regard. Environmental and climate-related considerations should be taken fully into account and integrated into all stages of the humanitarian response.
Chair,
Norway welcomes the high-level segment on statelessness and the progress made during the first half of the #IBELONG campaign to end statelessness. Norway supports the efforts by UNHCR to end statelessness, and commends Member States that have taken steps to prevent and resolve this problem.
The need to strengthen the humanitarian response to sexual and gender-based violence was the focus of an international conference in Oslo in May. It resulted in important financial and political commitments to scale up prevention and response, and concluded that leaders at all levels should give priority to combating SGBV across all sectors. It also highlighted the fact that, while women and girls are particularly vulnerable, men and boys are also affected.
Internal displacement remains a major concern. The number of internally displaced people – IDPs – is increasing, and we urgently need to find ways to better protect IDPs and achieve durable solutions. Norway welcomes the broad support for the establishment of the high-level panel on IDPs. This provides a unique opportunity to galvanise international engagement in support of states with situations of internal displacement.
As President of the review conference on the Mine Convention, which will be held in Oslo on 25-29 November, Norway will focus on protection and preventive measures towards refugees, IDPs, and returnees. We are pleased that the High Commissioner for Refugees will attend the conference.
Chair,
Norway strongly supports the Secretary-General’s initiative on UN reform and recognises the important efforts by UNHCR in this area. We encourage UNHCR to continue its work to fully implement the two resolutions on reform of the operational activities of the UN (A/RES/71/243 and A/RES/72/279).
Norway will continue to be a strong supporter of UNHCR and its mandate, and remains committed to providing un-earmarked funding to enable well-coordinated, rapid and effective assistance, in line
with our commitment to the Grand Bargain. Our core contribution for 2019 was record-high. In addition – and for the first time – we have made an indicative multi-year pledge of un-earmarked funding to UNHCR, subject to annual parliamentary approval.
Thank you.