(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 20. US Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger made a statement on World Refugee Day,
Trend reports.
'For the first time in history, the number of people forced to
flee conflict, violence, human rights violations, and persecution
recently surpassed 100 million. This represents more than one
percent of the world population. This year alone in Ukraine, the
war has displaced eight million in the country and caused more than
6.8 million to flee the country as refugees.
In Azerbaijan, many know all too well suffering of persons
displaced by conflict and the challenges faced by the internally
displaced persons (IDP) community.
The United States is the largest single provider of humanitarian
assistance worldwide to people in need, including refugees,
conflict victims, IDPs, stateless persons, and vulnerable migrants.
The United States is also a world leader in refugee resettlement,
welcoming more than 3.5 million refugees into communities across
the country since 1975.
Here in Azerbaijan, we invest in and support the IDP community.
For more than a decade we have invested in the IDP community,
including via English language programs and development work by
USAID. As the resettlement process unfolds, we continue to support
this community, and this work is even more important.
The United States supports the right of all displaced persons,
including IDPs and refugees, to return voluntarily to their former
places of residence throughout the world. The United States has
provided over $125 million to IDPs in Azerbaijan since 1992 and
remains committed to supporting this community. This assistance has
included targeted support for children, such as the construction
and renovation of schools, capacity building programs for youth,
and English language programs for IDP communities. Additionally,
the United States is providing humanitarian demining assistance to
Azerbaijan to help Azerbaijan's efforts to bolster human security
and enable displaced communities to return to their homes and
rebuild their lives safely.
Last fall when I was in Ganja, I met with an inspirational group
of young IDP students who are studying English at an Embassy
supported American Corner. Today, on World Refugee Day I think of
them, and their futures. I hope that we can all continue to
advocate for the protection and assistance to refugees, internally
displaced persons, and communities affected by conflict and
disaster,' the statement said.
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