UN reports record number of refugees in the world

By the end of 2016, their number amounted to 65.6 million people

The number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons in the world by the end of 2016 totaled a record high of 65.6 million people.

This was announced by the Agency for refugees of the United Nations.

That’s 300 thousand more than in 2015. However, it is still much less dramatic leap than in 2014-2015, when the number of people forced to flee their homes, has increased by five million.

UN high Commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi said that the data on internally displaced persons testify to the discouraging failure of international diplomacy.

“You see that old conflicts, which continue to stretch, and emerging new conflicts lead to displacement. Displacement – a symbol of the wars that never end,” said Grundy.

He also recalled the burden that lay on some of the poorest countries in the world – 84% of the displaced live in poor countries and countries with middle income.

“How can I ask of a country with far fewer resources – in Africa, the middle East, Asia – to accept millions of refugees if rich countries refuse to do,” said Grundy.

The UN hopes that recorded on Monday a record number of IDPs will force rich countries to think again on that not just to take more refugees, but also work to restore the world.

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