Global Refugee Forum 2023

The Global Refugee Forum 2023 will take place between 13 - 15 December in Geneva, with advance events on 12 December. The Forum will provide an opportunity to build on the significant progress made by governments and other stakeholders towards the implementation of pledges and initiatives announced since 2019. During the event, participants will announce new pledges, share good practices to inform and inspire further burden- and responsibility-sharing, and take stock of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Background

The Global Compact on Refugees, affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, put in place a new comprehensive refugee response model. It envisions more predictable and sustainable support to:

• ease pressures on countries hosting refugees;
• enhance opportunities for refugees to become self-reliant;
• expand refugees’ access to third-country solutions such as resettlement and other pathways;
• support conditions in refugees’ countries of origin so that they may be able to return in safety and dignity. 

The Compact sets out arrangements to ensure that both refugees and their host communities benefit from this support. A central arrangement is the Global Refugee Forum where States and other actors come together every four years to share good practices and contribute with financial support, technical expertise and policy changes to help reach the goals of the Global Compact. These contributions are key to transforming the aspirations of the compact into positive changes in the lives of refugees.

The first Global Refugee Forum took place in December 2019 and was a true milestone in building solidarity with the world’s refugees and the countries and communities that host them.