The United States has emphasized the importance of sustainable responses to refugee crises at the 93rd Meeting of the UNHCR Standing Committee in Geneva, Switzerland. Deputy Assistant Secretary Christian J. Ehrhardt delivered a statement commending UNHCR's efforts to focus on sustainable solutions and partnerships with private sectors and international financial institutions.
"We commend UNHCR’s deliberate focus on sustainable responses from the onset of a crisis and your progress in expanding partnerships with the private sector and with international financial institutions," Ehrhardt stated. He also quoted Secretary of State Rubio, saying, "the best foreign aid is foreign aid that ends because it achieved its purpose."
Ehrhardt stressed that the international protection system should not leave refugees in permanent limbo or encampments, which are not durable solutions. He urged UNHCR to focus on creating environments for voluntary and safe returns while ensuring returnees have access to government services. According to him, lasting solutions depend on political will and action.
Looking ahead to the High-Level Officials Meeting in December, Ehrhardt criticized the Global Compact on Migration and Global Compact on Refugees. He argued these compacts conflict with U.S. policy and common-sense duties to combat mass migration, which he described as destabilizing.
"The unprecedented and growing scale of migration worldwide undermines the rule of law and social cohesion," he said. "For too long, American communities have paid the price for the failed approach encapsulated in these two Compacts."
Under President Trump’s administration, Ehrhardt stated that this approach would end. The U.S. aims to lead internationally by establishing new norms respecting sovereignty and rule of law principles regarding migration.
"We as governments owe it to our citizens to protect them – and intending migrants themselves – from the mounting costs of a failed migration regime," he concluded, expressing commitment to bilateral collaboration for practical solutions prioritizing life-saving assistance.