UNHCR thanks Turkey for its strong partnership in the refugee file

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees thanked Turkey for its strong partnership in the refugee file, especially the Syrians, in the words of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Grandi explained that he met Turkish President Rajab Tayyip Erdogan, and pointed out that they discussed finding solutions for Syrian refugees in Turkey and the region, and the need to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Grandi added that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expresses its thanks to Turkey regarding these two issues, and Grandi indicated that he had discussed with Turkish Foreign Minister Mulud chaush Oglu, cases of forced displacement in the region, stressing the need to expedite the search for solutions regarding the refugee crisis in Syria and the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Regarding his meeting with Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu, Grandi explained that they discussed how to deal with the growing problems of immigrants in Turkey, as it continues to host a large number of Syrian, Afghani and other refugees. Grandi added: “There is a need for greaterinternational assistance.”

Turkey hosts about four million Syrian refugees and has spent more than $40 billion to provide basic services, but it wants the European Union to pay money to the government in Ankara directly.

And EU leaders, worried about what they see as an escalation of dictatorship and a deterioration in Turkey’s human rights record, are unlikely to accept such arequest. They also accuse Turkey of using migrants as leverage, which Ankara denies