As Chair of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) for the month of June 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odongo Jeje Abubakhar chaired a virtual Ministerial Meeting of the AUPSC on Refugees, IDPs and Humanitarian Assistance in Africa on June 19th 2024.
The objective of the virtual meeting was to discuss and exchange views on the humanitarian situation on the Continent, the efforts being deployed to curb the problem; challenges being encountered as well as effective ways and means of addressing the growing situation on the continent.
In his statement to the Members, Hon. Odongo said that according to the AU Commission, Africa accounts for the highest numbers of displaced persons in the world with over 37 million people forcibly displaced worldwide since entry into force of the Kampala Convention on Protection and Assistance of IDPs in Africa.
Hon. Odongo further shared that the UNHCR predicts that by 2024, 130 million people will be displaced globally.
He put a spotlight on the mental health challenges faced by displaced persons in addition to multiple social, economic and protection concerns in their daily lives including a lack of adequate and nutritious food.
“We call for reflection on ways and means of Integrating psychosocial support for refugees & IDPs during humanitarian responses,” said Odongo, while also calling for more international support towards refugees, IDPs, and host communities, to enable them effectively respond to those in need.
Hon. Odongo saluted all Member States and International partners who made pledges during the ExtraOrdinary Humanitarian Summit and Pledging Conference in Malabo in May 2022, urging all those that made pledges of any kind including in Malabo and Paris to redeem them.
In addition to the 15 members of the AU PSC, also in attendance at the virtual meeting were Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner Political Affairs Peace and Security; Prof. Julio Rakotonirina, Director for Health and Humanitarian Affairs, Ambassador Almon Mahlaba Mamba Ambassador of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Permanent Representative to the AU and ECA and Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees and IDPs;
Mr. Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Food Programme; Dr. Buti Kale, United Nations High Commission for Refugees Representative to the AU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and a Representative from the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
