World Refugee Day

On World Refugee Day, we honor the courage and resilience of those who have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution and conflict. By the end of 2022, a staggering 108 million people – approximately one percent of the global population – were forcibly displaced worldwide, including more than 35 million refugees. Today is an opportunity to bring attention to this alarming and unacceptable crisis, honor those who help refugees around the world, and to reaffirm our commitment to support refugees – as well as internally displaced persons – and address the drivers of forced displacement and instability.

For more than 65 years, USAID has supported food insecure refugees by providing emergency food assistance, helping them to survive, feed their families, and regain stability and dignity. USAID addresses the needs of the communities that host refugee populations, as well as helping them help others in times of need. In 2022, USAID provided emergency food assistance to refugees and host communities in 40 countries. 

From the April 15 outbreak of fighting in Sudan to Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, conflict remains the primary driver of displacement and the alarming rise of food insecurity, particularly among refugees and the most vulnerable. Every person facing threats – no matter who they are or where they come from – has the right to seek safety and to be treated with respect, dignity, and compassion. Together with our colleagues at the U.S. Department of State, we work to reach millions of forcibly displaced people with life-saving aid while paving the way for long-term recovery. The international community must work together to find durable solutions to promote resilience, support integration and resettlement, and allow refugees to rebuild their lives with peace and dignity.

Today, and everyday, we stand with the millions of refugees around the world.