Qatar Committed to Finding Solutions to the Palestinian Refugees Issue -Qatar UN Representative

Geneva, December 08 (QNA) - The State of Qatar has reiterated its commitment to finding a proper solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees who rank first as the biggest refugee community, highlighting that such a solution must guarantee the rights of the refugees and maintain their dignity. In this regard, Qatar has expressed its appreciation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for its role in supporting and providing five million Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, neighboring countries and all over the world with their basic needs for decades. Qatar also pointed to the refugee and immigration problem that has aggravated because of wars and internal conflicts as well as natural disasters such as drought, that have become pressing issues for the international community especially with the huge number of refugees trying to find a safe haven and ensure their basic needs. The above remarks came as part of a speech delivered by the Permanent Representative at Qatar Mission to the UN HE Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani before the international ministerial governmental meeting for UN members currently under way in Geneva. The session comes in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Refugee Convention. HE explained that refugees are more likely to be subjected to ill treatment and stripped of their basic rights as they usually face abduction, rape and other gender-based types of violence, noting that children refugees are also the subject of military recruitment and separation from their families. Qatar's Ambassador to the UN spoke of the significance of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which both proved to be valuable over more than 50 years as they formed the cornerstone for protecting refugees at the international level and saving the lives of millions of refugees. In this regard, Sheikha Alya praised the efforts exerted by the office of the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and its relentless endeavours to secure the protection for such a vulnerable groups particularly children and women. HE also highlighted the efforts of those working in the humanitarian field who sacrifice their lives to alleviate the suffering of refugees. (QNA)