As displacement soars, global meet to seek new paths to help refugees

As the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes continues to climb worldwide, a global summit in Geneva next week will aim to drum up fresh and concrete support for refugees.

The Global Refugee Forum will officially open on Tuesday, exactly a year after the UN General Assembly adopted a framework aimed at creating a more predictable and equitable approach to providing assistance to refugees and host communities.

The meeting will be the first of its kind, pooling together heads of state, government ministers but also business leaders, humanitarians and refugees themselves to offer ideas and pledges for more efficient assistance.

"We are at the end of a decade that has been more than tumultuous in terms of levels of displacement," UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements told AFP in an interview.

"We see the need for states, for international organisations, for the private sector (to help explore) how the international community can better help to respond," ...