UN agencies call pledging conference on Rohingya crisis

Three United Nations agencies plan to send a strong message to Rohingya refugees and their generous hosts in Bangladesh that the world is there for them in their greatest time of need.

They are urging the international community to come together on October 23 pledging conference to be held in Geneva of Switzerland.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) made the announcement through a joint statement Monday, reports UN News Centre.

The ministerial-level pledging conference, organised by OCHA, IOM and UNHCR and co-hosted by the European Union and Kuwait, will provide governments an opportunity to show their solidarity and share the burden and responsibility, the statement said.

“We call on the international community to intensify efforts to bring a peaceful solution to the plight of the Rohingya, to end the desperate exodus, to support host communities and ensure the conditions that will allow for refugees’ eventual voluntary return in safety and dignity,” they said.

 “We have been moved by the welcome and generosity shown by the local communities towards the refugees,” the senior officials stated.

“The Joint Response Plan, launched by the UN and partners, is urgently needed to sustain and scale up the large humanitarian effort already under way," the statement said.

The plan requires $434 million to meet the life-saving needs of all Rohingya refugees and their host communities – together an estimated 1.2 million people – for the difficult months to come,” added the statement.