JOINT MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL AND THE PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION - THE DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE DIMENSIONS OF FORCED DISPLACEMENT: COUNTRIES’ BEST PRACTISES IN CREATING DURABLE SOLUTIONS.
1 July 2024
Statement by Permanent Representative to the UN, H. E Ambassador James Larsen, Australian Mission to the United Nations.
Thank you, Mr Chair and Madam President, we very much appreciate the work done today to bring together the excellent briefings we have received.
Colleagues, as we have heard, more than 117 million people have been displaced from their homes in the current period, and the number of people forcibly displaced has almost doubled over the past decade.
This situation is not sustainable, and we urgently need solutions.
Australia agrees that prevention is critical to addressing the root causes of forcible displacement.
Peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian actors must work together on effective and sustainable responses which support local and national efforts.
ECOSOC and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) could assist member states – where requested – by providing a platform to:
- Exchange lessons learned
- address root causes, and
- mobilise support for nationally owned solutions.
Australia remains committed to finding durable and dignified solutions for displacement.
By way of example, the recently concluded Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty specifically contemplates mobility between Tuvulu and Australia in response to the threats posed by Climate Change and other disasters.
We look forward to working with you to this end, when we take up anticipated seats on both the PBC and ECOSOC from next year.
Thank you.