Speaking to Vatican News following a private audience with Pope Leo XIV, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says he is “tremendously encouraged” by the Holy Father’s support for his mission.
By Francesca Sabatinelli and Linda Bordoni
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday received in audience Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Speaking after the private audience, Grandi told Vatican News he was tremendously encouraged – yet not surprised – to be assured that the Pope’s “engagement, advocacy, and the work of the Church in support of refugees and migrants, will remain extremely strong and central in his pontificate.”
The UN High Commissioner also revealed that during his conversation with the Pope, “the extremely complex situation of the world” and the many crises that continue to cause people to be displaced were discussed, including, he said, “The violations of international humanitarian law that aggravate the plight of civilians and increase the number of displaced people.”
Noting that when he began his mandate as High Commissioner for Refugees, it was estimated there were about 60 to 65 million refugees and displaced persons globally, he said, “Today this number is double: 120 million plus.”
This, Grandi said, “is one of the symptoms of a very difficult world, and we talked about that.”
Pope leo XIV receives Filippo Grandi in audience (@VATICAN MEDIA)
The situation in Gaza
“We talked about the situation in Gaza where UNHCR has no mandate to operate, but whose extreme suffering and agony, and plight of the population, as a humanitarian, I can only be horrified by and terrified by,” he said.
And this he continued, not only “because it casts a terrible spell on the future of the people of Palestine, not only in Gaza, but in the West Bank as well, but also because of what it will represent for Israel’s security in the future.”
Global human rights in danger
Reflecting on the global consequences of this, Filippo Grandi said “I believe that the precedents that are being created by very powerful countries like Israel, like Russia in Ukraine, are extremely dangerous for the future of human rights across the world – international humanitarian law – but by extension, other human rights as well: I think it’s very important to reflect on that.”
A 90-year-old Ukrainian woman is evacuated from her home village in Donetsk region (ANSA)
Forgotten crises
Filippo Grandi expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the attention the Pope and the Holy See have for the many “forgotten crises” afflicting the world. He said that whenever he has had the occasion to be received in the Vatican, it is an occasion to discuss the many people suffering across the globe, far from the spotlight of mainstream media and attention.
“This is one of the few places where there is full awareness, excellent information and engagement, also in crisis that nobody speaks about, like Sudan, like Congo, like Myanmar,” he said.
All places, he continued, where UNHCR is very much involved, and he expressed thanks for the support of the Holy See and the Catholic Church.
I feel, he said, “greatly encouraged by the support, the partnership, that we have as an organisation, with the Holy See and with the Catholic Church, both at the grassroots level and at the institutional level, and by the confirmation that this close identity of views and partnership will continue in the future.”
Fleeing Sudanese seek refuge in Chad (ZOHRA BENSEMRA)
