UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- The United Nations refugee chief said Monday an international crisis is brewing in Africa, and called for renewed commitment to refugees.
Antonio Guterres, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, told an assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, that new conflicts in the Central African Republic, northern Nigeria, Libya and South Sudan have displaced over 2.5 million people in the first six months of this year.
While commending African countries for keeping their borders open to the flow of displaced people, he noted protection of refugees remains an issue and a challenge.
"The combination of large new emergencies and protracted conflict and displacement situations places an enormous stress on host governments and communities. As international response capacities are overstretched by the unprecedented rise in global forced displacement, and as media attention is focused elsewhere, Africa suffers disproportionately more than other regions."
Guterres warned against overlooking the humanitarian crisis, noting there is a link between refugee movements in the Middle East and Ukraine, and in less-publicized places, including Mali, Nigeria and Somalia.
"If the world goes on ignoring this, threats of insecurity will come to everyone's doorstep. This is not only a question of international solidarity and shared human commitment. It is also one of global peace and security and enlightened self-interest for everyone."
