MOSCOW, November 20. /TASS/: Russia is making a significant contribution to the regulation of the refugee issue, head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) mission to Russia Vanno Noupech said at the opening of the exhibition dedicated to refugees at the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament).
"Russia is one of the key players on the international arena. Taking into account Russia’s role and contribution to the regulation of humanitarian and other issues, namely those related to forced displacement of the population, we value the opportunity to inaugurate this exhibition with you very much," he stressed.
Noupech stated that with each year, the number of refugees in the world rises. "Today, there are over 71 mln people [considered refugees]. This is the highest number in our history, and it continued to rise," he noted.
According to the UNHCR official, members of the Global Refugee Forum, set to be held in December in Geneva, will discuss concrete steps to resolve the issue of displaced persons. "Unfortunately, short-term measures to help those who were forced to escape war and violence are not enough. Currently, there is a need for more predictable and stable decisions," he concluded.
