Palestinian children who fled with their parents from their houses in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, gather in the backyard of a UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) school, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Sept 12, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

UNITED NATIONS -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on the international community to practice true multilateralism and form synergy for refugee relief.

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At present, due to multiplying geopolitical conflicts, sluggish global economic recovery, and frequent natural disasters, global refugee situations face complex, daunting challenges. At the same time, the humanitarian funding gap continues to widen. Many humanitarian agencies have been forced to cut services and countless families have been forced to live in the harshest conditions, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

Unilateral sanctions, which have long impeded the economic recovery and improvement of the livelihood of the countries concerned and have seriously affected their efforts to resolve the refugee problems, should be lifted immediately, he (Geng Shuang) said

The international community must practice true multilateralism, champion the spirit of humanity, mobilize resources, and create the greatest possible synergy in supporting multilateral institutions, such as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said Geng.

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Developed countries should fulfill their assistance commitments in good faith. Those countries that bear the main responsibilities for the refugee problems should step up their assistance and provide more support to help refugees and refugee-hosting countries, he told the UN Security Council.

Armed conflict is a major cause of the current refugee crisis. The Security Council should fulfill its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, promote de-escalation, and the political settlement of hot-spot issues so as to provide strong guarantees for refugees to return home, said Geng.

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At the same time, the protection of refugees should be carried out in accordance with the principle of neutrality. Double standards and politicization must be avoided. Unilateral sanctions, which have long impeded the economic recovery and improvement of the livelihood of the countries concerned and have seriously affected their efforts to resolve the refugee problems, should be lifted immediately, he said.

The international community should scale up investment in peacebuilding and support post-conflict reconstruction so as to enable the return of refugees, said the envoy.