Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Chair, High Commissioner, distinguished representatives
I am delighted to express the New Zealand Government’s strong support for the UN Refugee Agency’s Global Appeal.
New Zealand is grateful to UNHCR for its invaluable work and relentless efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, protection, and durable solutions for displaced populations worldwide.
Humanitarian agencies need early, flexible and predictable funding in order to respond effectively to emerging crises. Such funding supports UNHCR to carry out its work effectively, efficiently and without interruption.
New Zealand’s multi-year and unearmarked funding to UNHCR is designed to help meet that need.
In 2021, New Zealand pledged NZ$18 million in multi-year, un-earmarked core funding to support UNHCR’s annual programmes for 2022, 2023 and 2024. One instalment has already been paid, with our second to be paid early next year.
New Zealand complements its core contributions with funding to support UNHCR emergency protection and assistance programmes. New Zealand’s broad history of support has contributed to UNHCR responses in Iraq, Ethiopia, Venezuela and Afghanistan. And most recently, we have supported the Agency’s programmes for Rohingya [1] and Ukrainian refugees.[2]
New Zealand remains committed to working with UNHCR and the international community to resettle refugees who have priority protection needs and require resettlement as a durable solution. Our long-standing Refugee Quota Programme demonstrates that commitment. We rebalanced our regional allocations to better reflect global refugee resettlement needs and UNHCR’s operational priorities.
New Zealand reiterates its commitment to fully implementing its Global Refugee Forum pledges, on education, employment, support to new and emerging resettlement countries in our region, and building protection capacity in the Asia-Pacific.
New Zealand’s focus at home remains on our partnerships with UNHCR, service providers, and communities across the country to welcome refugees and support their successful settlement.
New Zealand recognises the importance of refugee voices in shaping solutions and responses. Nationally, we worked with domestic and international partners to establish a Refugee Advisory Panel in New Zealand. This Panel seeks to ensure refugee interests, perspectives, and knowledge inform and influence refugee-related policies in New Zealand.
New Zealand would like to thank the staff of UNHCR for their tireless efforts, their unwavering commitment, and their personal sacrifices in pursuit of UNHCR’s mandate. This essential work, carried out in some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous environments, continues to be valued and appreciated.
[1] New Zealand made annual contributions to UNHCR’s operations in Bangladesh, which support Rohingya refugees, including a contribution of NZ$1 million in June 2022. This contribution supports UNHCR to provide a range of protection and assistance programmes.
[2] In March 2022 New Zealand provided a NZ$2 million contribution to UNHCR to help fund the protection and assistance it is providing to the millions of Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries.