ORU Fogar at the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review

The Global Refugee Forum Progress Review was hold in Geneva (Switzerland), from 15 to 17 December as an international meeting convened by the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the purpose of taking stock of advances made since the last Global Refugee Forum, held in 2023, within the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees.

This review meeting constituted a pivotal moment to assess the follow-up to commitments pledged by States and other relevant stakeholders, to identify persistent challenges and to renew collective efforts in response to the continued global increase in forced displacements and the increasing pressure on asylum systems.

The Forum brought together representatives of national Governments, international organizations, local and regional authorities, international networks of territorial governments, civil society and refugees. In this context, ORU Fogar engaged actively by underscoring the essential role of regions in the reception, protection and integration policies. ORU Fogar advocated for a multilevel governance approach that recognizes regions as key actors in the implementation of durable solutions.

Within the framework of the Review, the participation of the President of the Association of Regions of Mali (ARM) and President of the Mopti Region, Mr. Abdoulaye Garba Maïga, stood out. Mr. Maïga highlighted the experience and sustained engagement of the African regions in responding to forced displacement, particularly in contexts affected by armed conflict, humanitarian crises and the impacts of climate change.

President Maïga spoke with first-hand and in-depth knowledge of the situation. The circumstances of refugees and displaced persons in Mali are of particular concern, caused by a combination of structural and circumstantial drivers. For several years, the country has been confronted with persistent insecurity, characterized by armed conflict, intercommunal violence and the presence of armed groups across wide parts of the territory, notably in central and northern regions. These dynamics are further exacerbated by the adverse impacts of climate change, including environmental degradation, shortage of natural resources and pressure on traditional rural means of subsistence, as well as high levels of poverty and institutional fragility. Together, these factors have resulted in significant internal displacement and refugee movements across the borders of the frontier countries, placing national and regional authorities, including the Mopti Region, at the forefront of the humanitarian and protectionist response.

In this context, the President of the Association of Regions of Mali emphasized the need to strengthen international cooperation with regions of the Global South, which are often on the front lines of hosting refugees, and stressed the importance of sustained international recognition and support for the capacities of regional governments.

Additionally, he underscored that reception and integration policies must be closely linked to territorial development strategies, in order to promote social cohesion and enhance the resilience of host communities. In this regard, he emphasized that effective refugee responses require not only political will and commitments, but also an adequate investment and a sustained technical and financial support at subnational levels of governance.

ORU Fogar warmly welcomes the convening of this Global Refugee Forum Progress Review, which constituted a strategic opportunity to amplify the voice of regions in key international discussions on forced displacement and to continue advancing coordinated, solidarity-based and human rights-centered responses.