Global Displacement Hits Historic High

(MENAFN) Global forced migration has reached unprecedented levels, nearly doubling within less than ten years, as reductions in humanitarian aid leave millions without support and discussions over asylum grow increasingly divisive, outgoing UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told Anadolu in an exclusive interview.

"The statistics tell the story eloquently. Today, the total number of people forced to flee their homes stands at 117.3 million," stated Grandi, whose tenure as head of the UN refugee organization, UNHCR, concludes on Dec. 31.

"When I began my role at UNHCR in early 2016, the figure was just over 65 million," he added, highlighting the rapid escalation in global displacement over recent years.

Grandi explained that "new wars have erupted, old conflicts have reignited, and many of these crises last years, even decades, meaning that refugees remain exiled for longer."

He acknowledged that the worldwide response has sometimes struggled to match the scale of the crisis, hindered by political divisions and shrinking budgets for aid, calling the situation "discouraging."

Grandi further emphasized, "The debate over refugees and asylum is polarized. Humanitarian funding is being slashed: UNHCR assesses that around 11.6 million displaced people have lost assistance this year. And some of the policies being proposed or used to manage asylum breach international law, or are in danger of doing so."

The issue of migration continues to provoke intense debate, as people flee persecution, conflict, and human rights abuses. Advocates stress adherence to international law and frame welcoming migrants and refugees as a moral responsibility, while opponents focus on concerns surrounding border security and control.

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