The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has thanked Turkey for the country’s support in hosting people displaced by the conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan. UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi arrived in Turkey on Sept. 7 before meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday. In a social media post, Grandi said the meeting had discussed “solutions for Syrian refugees in Turkey and in the region, and on the need to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.” “(The) UNHCR is grateful for its strong partnership with Turkey in both endeavours,” he added. Earlier in the day, Grandi also held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. These included “a good discussion on issues of forced displacement in Turkey and the region,” the UNHCR chief said. Afterwards, Çavuşoğlu said: “Migration is a common issue in all countries. Fair burden and responsibility sharing is a must.“ Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees in the world, including more than 3.6 million Syrian nationals, according to the UNHCR. In 2016, Turkey signed an agreement with the European Union to limit the movement of people across it borders in return for funds to support refugees in the country. The deal has been widely criticised by international human rights organisations, who say it has failed to humanely resolve the crisis. Instability in Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of U.S-led forces has resulted in a renewed rise in people crossing Turkey’s borders in recent months, often entering the country’s eastern provinces on foot. Last month, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he expects Turkey to again play a “very important” role in handling any outward migration from Afghanistan. However, rising anti-refugee sentiment has seen Turkish government figures push back against the prospect of a new agreement on the 2016 model. On Aug. 27 the Deputy Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Naci Bostanc said it was “impossible” for his country to take more refugees. “When Afghan immigrants enter Turkey, they are sent back to the country they entered from. This is Turkey’s position at the moment,” he said.
Ahval