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Close world's refugee camps, says David Miliband Close world's refugee camps, says David Miliband
(about 3 hours later)
David Miliband, the former foreign secretary-turned-NGO chief, has called for an end to the refugee camp system and the reform of humanitarian institutions “that were designed for yesterday’s problems not tomorrow’s”. The former UK foreign secretary David Miliband has called for an end to the refugee camp system and the reform of humanitarian institutions “that were designed for yesterday’s problems, not tomorrow’s”.
Wealthy nations should accept the most vulnerable 10% of the world’s 60 million refugees, Miliband said, and should also economically support poorer countries to integrate new arrivals as full-time residents. Wealthy nations should accept the most vulnerable 10% of the world’s 60 million refugees, Miliband said, and provide economic support to less wealthy countries to integrate new arrivals as full-time residents.
Referring to the case of Dadaab, the world’s biggest refugee camp, which houses 330,000 Somalians in Kenya, just across the border from their home country, Miliband called for a “new deal” for poorer countries that host refugees. Referring to the case of Dadaab in Kenya, the world’s biggest refugee camp, which houses 330,000 Somalis across the border from their home country, Miliband, the president of the International Rescue Committee, said there should be a “new deal” for poorer countries that host refugees.
Related: Why is the cost of hosting refugees falling on the world's poorest states?Related: Why is the cost of hosting refugees falling on the world's poorest states?
He said: “The new bargain is that a small number of people – probably up to 10% of refugees, the most vulnerable - are relocated to the richer countries to the west and elsewhere because of their medical needs because they’re orphans etc. “The new bargain is that a small number of people – probably up to 10% of refugees, the most vulnerable – are relocated to the richer countries, to the west and elsewhere, because of their medical needs, because they’re orphans etc,” he said.
“But then, [for] the large majority of people, the only real hope for them is to become productive residents of the countries that they’ve fled to.“But then, [for] the large majority of people, the only real hope for them is to become productive residents of the countries that they’ve fled to.
“That’s a massive call on the countries concerned but if we can ensure they get international financial support and build up their economies then it becomes a chance to avoid the kind of Dadaab situation of long-term housing people in places that become magnets for criminality, never mind for terrorism.” “That’s a massive call on the countries concerned, but if we can ensure they get international financial support and build up their economies, then it becomes a chance to avoid the kind of Dadaab situation of long-term housing [of] people in places that become magnets for criminality, never mind for terrorism.”
The Kenyan government has announced it wants to send all refugees in Dadaab, a desert tent city which is the third biggest settlement in Kenya, back to Somalia, saying the camp harboured terrorists, but Miliband did not address this. The Kenyan government has announced that it wants to send all refugees in Dadaab, a desert tent city that is the third-biggest settlement in Kenya, back to Somalia, because of fears that it may harbour terrorists, but Miliband did not address this.
Related: Refugees urge Kenyan leaders to rethink closure of Dadaab camp His comments will be controversial in many European countries, including the UK, where migration from within the EU and from other nations has led to a rise in xenophobia and electoral success for rightwing politicians.
His comments will be controversial in many European countries, including the UK, where an influx of migrants, from inside and outside the continent, has led to a rise in xenophobia and electoral success for far-right politicians. Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, Macedonia and others have seen electoral breakthroughs for nationalists in the past five years, while in Britain, Ukip has been held back only by a winner-takes-all electoral system.
Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, Macedonia and other European countries have seen national electoral breakthroughs for nationalists in the past five years, while in Britain Ukip has been held back only by a winner-takes-all electoral system. In Munich, a court has ordered the owner of a beer hall where Adolf Hitler is thought to have made his first political speech to allow the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany to hold an event there.
In Germany this week, a Munich court ordered the owner of a beer hall where Adolf Hitler is thought to have made his first political speech to allow the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) to hold an event there. Miliband, who has led the IRC since 2013, said that the British public must accept refugees or face the consequences.
Miliband, who has led US NGO the International Rescue Committee since 2013, said that the British public must accept refugees or reap the consequences. “Either refugees come to Europe in a disorderly, illegal and dangerous way, or they come to Europe in an orderly, legal and organised fashion,” he said.
“Either refugees come to Europe in a disorderly, illegal and dangerous way, or they come to Europe in an orderly, legal and organised fashion,” he said “The latter is far, far preferable because the sight of thousands of people dying in the Mediterranean is something that I think appals everyone, and what people in Britain want to see is compassion, but also competence.”
“The latter is far, far preferable because the sight of thousands of people dying in the Mediterranean is something that I think appals everyone, and what people in Britain want to see is compassion but also competence.” Europe is facing a migration and refugee crisis caused by poverty and war in the Middle East and parts of Africa. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 200,000 people have fled to Europe so far this year, mostly by sea. Despite a naval campaign to rescue the often overcrowded migrant boats, 1,357 people are estimated to have died.
Europe is facing a migration and refugee crisis caused by poverty and war in the Middle East and parts of Africa. The International Organisation for Migration estimates that nearly 200,000 people have fled to Europe so far this year, mostly by sea. Despite a naval campaign to rescue the often overcrowded migrant boats, 1,357 are estimated to have died. Miliband backed Angela Merkel’s policy of opening Germany’s doors to refugees, despite the rightwing backlash that this decision had fostered in the country. He blamed other European countries for not supporting the German chancellor.
Miliband backed Angela Merkel’s policy of opening Germany’s doors to migrants, despite the rightwing backlash that had fostered in the country. He blamed other European countries for not supporting Merkel. “Camp-based ‘temporary’ relief is not going to be the way of the future,” Miliband said. “The way of the future is get these people into work, get their kids into an education, make them part of society as residents, and it’s up to the countries concerned about whether they want to be citizens. Get them in a position where they can eventually go back if the war ever ends.”
“Camp-based ‘temporary’ relief is not going to be the way of the future,” Miliband said. “The way of the future is get these people into work, get their kids into an education, make them part of society as residents and – it’s up to the countries concerned about whether they want to be citizens. Get them in a position where they can eventually go back if the war ever ends.”