UN refugee chief

Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, has warned that displacement crises in Lebanon and Sudan could worsen, urging governments to abandon ineffective border controls that contravene international law. Speaking at the UNHCR annual meeting in Geneva, he highlighted that a record 123 million people are currently displaced globally due to conflicts, persecution, poverty, and climate change. Grandi called for a focus on addressing the root causes of migration rather than merely tightening borders, criticizing initiatives that outsource or suspend asylum processes. He specifically noted the escalating conflict in Lebanon, where over a million have fled, and emphasized that continued airstrikes would likely lead to further displacement. He also called for increased support for refugees fleeing Sudan's civil war, stressing the need for fair and effective asylum systems. Grandi's remarks come amid growing domestic pressures on Western governments to adopt stricter asylum policies.