Development challenges KEY TAKEAWAYS 4.8 million Syrians now live in external exile One in four people living in Lebanon today is a refugee ADDRESSING FORCED DISPLACEMENT Levels of population upheaval are at their highest for decades, creating misery for millions. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees discusses the root causes and the actions needed to prevent further disruption Many people will remember 2015 as the year of Europe’s refugee and migration crisis, when more than a million people arrived by boat and made their way north under chaotic conditions – climbing over fences, sitting for days at railway stations, waiting in the rain to be registered at border checkpoints. For the first time in many years, refugees became the centre of international attention. Countries en route imposed restrictive measures and closed borders with the result that tens of thousands of refugees and migrants are now stranded in Greece, living in dire conditions. But this is not only a European phenomenon, nor is it a recent one. The refugee crisis has been growing in scale and complexity for years. Over the past 10 years, forced displacement figures jumped from 38 million in 2005 to over 60 million in 2015. In the past five years alone, at least 15 conflicts have erupted or reignited: eight in Africa, three in the Middle East, one in Europe and three in Asia. As the world’s most protracted crises continue to fester without lasting solutions, more and more people are stuck in exile for years on end, living half-lives: more than 4.8 million Syrians, 2.5 million Afghans, one million Somalis, to name a few. Third-generation refugees are born in countries such as Algeria, Kenya, Pakistan or Sudan, facing uncertain futures. The Palestinian refugee question remains unresolved 68 years after its beginning. Today’s massive population movements must be seen in a broader context. The world is undergoing profound geopolitical, environmental and technological transformations. While violent conflict is the most important reason behind displacement, many other, increasingly interlinked causes also drive people from their homes. These range from human rights abuses, poor governance, impunity, ethnic marginalisation and extremism of all sorts, to environmental degradation, water scarcity, food insecurity and competition over resources – with climate change a force multiplier. The list grows as new causes for displacement emerge, as in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, where organised crime and gang violence have reached such shocking proportions that tens of thousands of people now seek asylum abroad. At the same time, globalisation is asymmetrical. Money, goods and services move freely, but people face enormous obstacles. This is a cruel paradox: few movements are as restricted as those of human beings, but conflict and violence force more and more people to flee. This leaves many with no other option but to put their lives into the hands of smugglers. Around the world, criminal gangs are making billions out of this desperate situation, in complete disregard for human lives and dignity. Root causes: the Syrian example The Syria conflict has accounted for the single biggest increase in global forced displacement → FATIH AKTAS/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES 84 <strong>G7</strong> Japan: The Ise-Shima Summit • May 2016 g7g20.com
Forced displacement has increased over the past decade 2005 38m 2015 60m Development challenges A Syrian child who fled Aleppo takes refuge in a tent city on the Turkey-Syria border. More than 4.8 million Syrians are now living in exile g7g20.com May 2016 • <strong>G7</strong> Japan: The Ise-Shima Summit 85
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