Sweden's statement at UNHCR's Pledging Conference

Mr / Mme Chair,

I was reading the UNHCR Global Appeal for 2018-2019 before coming here today. It is not uplifting news. Thousands of people are still fleeing their homes every day in search of safety, either crossing borders to unsure futures or becoming displaced within their own countries. (The Deputy High Commissioner already mentioned several of the countries that are experiencing this kind of turmoil.) 

In this context, international cooperation and multilateralism has never been more important. This is true when working preventively to address root causes of displacement, throughout crises situations or in finding solutions to immediate or protracted displacement situations.  

In less than a week’s time we will have a tool kit that can help us to do this better for refugees and stateless persons – the GCR. In line with the spirit of the New York Declaration, we should aim to place the rights, interests and potential of refugees and their hosts at the heart of comprehensive responses that include all relevant stakeholders.   

For internally displaced persons we will not have the same mechanisms in place but we do have the guiding principles, celebrating 20 years this year, the related GP20-initiative, and important protection cluster work for IDPs led by UNHCR. 

Mr / Mme Chair,  

As we look forward to the first Global Refugee Forum in a year’s time and improved UN agency cooperation on IDP issues, we need to match action with commitments. Sweden is committed to improving the lives of persons of concern to UNHCR.  

This means that we deliver on our multiyear financial agreement with UNHCR – unearmarked funding that enables UNHCR to act quickly, flexibly and in underfunded situations. For 2019, this will amount to 870 million Swedish Krona, the equivalent of around 96 million US-dollars.  

It also means that we – through Sida – continue delivering loosely earmarked funding to critical situations, emergency appeals and country based pooled funds. During 2018 this support reached 297 million Swedish crowns, equivalent of 33 million USD.  

Sweden is a long-standing partner to UNHCR’s work on resettlement of persons in need of protection with a refugee quota of 5000 places in 2018, that is also the current transitional government proposal for 2019, pending Parliamentary approval. 

Finally, it means that we deliver on our promises along the lines of good humanitarian donorship. This includes adhering to Grand bargain principles such as unearmarked, flexible and multiyear funding, reduced reporting demands and facilitating cooperation between humanitarian and development actors. But it also means requesting solid auditing, follow-up and review, accountability as well as constant vigilance when it comes to fraud, corruption, risk management, transparency, whistle blowing, sexual exploitation and abuse etc.  

For Sweden, there is no contradiction between this and unearmarked funding. We know that funds are managed more effectively when handled by organisations themselves. And ultimately it is a matter of trust, building on our long standing partnership and shared principles and values.  

Mr / Mme Chair, 

We applaud the courageous UNHCR staff who work in difficult and dangerous situations to bring assistance and protection and find solutions to persons of concern. We are in awe of the resilience and resourcefulness of displaced persons themselves, who struggle through situations no person should have to endure. And we remain immensely grateful to the countries, communities or families who host displaced persons.  

The need for solidarity with the world’s displaced and stateless persons is more evident than ever. Sweden pledges to remain an engaged and strategic partner to UNHCR.  

Thank you