第77回UNHCR執行委員会（議題3：一般討論）における永瀬賢介公使によるステートメント

Mr. Chair, High Commissioner, Excellencies, and distinguished colleagues,
 
As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention this year, Japan wishes to emphasize the importance of the international refugee protection system.
We also recognize and appreciate the humanity and generosity of refugee-hosting countries and communities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
We express our gratitude for the dedication and commitment of UNHCR colleagues through a period of difficult workforce reductions and significant organizational change.
 
As a responsible donor, the Government of Japan has provided over 100 million US dollars this year in support of UNHCR’s work worldwide for refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced persons—covering emergency assistance, protection, and durable solutions.
Japan’s private sector engagement with UNHCR has tripled over the past 10 years, with Japan ranking second globally last year in terms of private contributions.
 
Mr. Chair,
Japan supports High Commissioner Saleh’s 50/35 vision.
This vision provides hope for refugees, forcibly displaced persons, and asylum seekers, and closely aligns with the HDP Nexus approach that Japan has long been promoting.
Japan stands ready to cooperate with UNHCR in achieving durable solutions and self-reliance under this vision, particularly through collaboration with development agencies and partnerships with the private sector.
 
Japan has had the honor of serving as co-convener of the Global Refugee Forum since 2023.
We express our deep appreciation for the support and cooperation we have received from Member States, UNHCR, refugee-led organizations, and others in this capacity.
Japan will continue to fulfill its commitments in the lead-up to the 2027 GRF, including through the Multi-Stakeholder Pledge on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus.
In close collaboration with UNHCR, we are implementing innovative initiatives in Ethiopia and Syria to address refugee protection and climate change, utilizing grant funding from the Green Climate Fund. Once fully realized, these initiatives will be emblematic of both the 50/35 vision and the HDP Nexus.
 
Mr. Chair,
Japan takes note of the transformation underway within UNHCR, as mentioned by High Commissioner Saleh.
As the gap between available resources and needs continues to grow, results-oriented and efficient assistance is more critical than ever.
In particular, we expect that the efforts to reform humanitarian logistics through the G7 Humanitarian Supply Chain Working Group—in which Japan participates—will deliver time-bound results.
 
Japan appreciates UNHCR’s budget reform, including its focus on fiscal transparency.
We understand that UNHCR’s proposed budget for 2027 will decrease compared to the previous year, and that the Asia-Pacific region will also be affected by these budget cuts.
However, we must remain alert to displacement-related needs in this region, where grave situations persist in Myanmar, Afghanistan, and other areas.
 
Finally, I wish to highlight the importance of humanitarian diplomacy.
We are deeply concerned about the increasing disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Upholding IHL, and the values it represents, is our shared responsibility.
 
The protection of humanitarian personnel is an urgent priority. Over 1,000 humanitarian personnel have been killed in the past three years, while detentions have also risen sharply.
Humanitarian personnel should be met with respect, never hostility, and attacks against them are absolutely unacceptable.
Japan, as a core member of the Geneva-based Group of Friends, strongly supports the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
In line with this commitment, Japan has been working with UNHCR through the e-Centre to strengthen humanitarian response capacity in the Asia-Pacific and Africa.
 
Mr. Chair,
As the High Commissioner mentioned, access to asylum and protection is under increasing pressure. We need an international refugee protection system that can withstand this pressure and function effectively. This system is only as good as the sum of its parts. It requires sustained contributions as well as durable and innovative solutions. It can be enhanced by structural and budgetary reform where possible, but not at the expense of fulfilling its core functions. It can be strengthened through intentional humanitarian diplomacy to promote respect for IHL and protection of humanitarian personnel.
As we look ahead to next year’s GRF, Japan will continue to consider how it can best contribute to a robust protection system that will enable us to respond more effectively to forced displacement.
 
Thank you.