Madam President,

I am speaking on behalf of the European Union as a donor,

I want to first express the EU’s full support to the objectives of the UNSG Action Agenda on Internal Displacement and the need to seek longer’s-term durable solutions for IDPs. Internal displacement is among the crises not sufficiently discussed, while we know that the numbers are only set to rise.

We highly appreciate the briefing in New York. Successful implementation of the Action Agenda will depend on active participation also from actors across spectrum in the UN system, including development actors.

According to IDMC, in 2021 disasters accounted for more than 50% of internal displacements. As extreme weather events become more and more common in a changing climate, even more people are at risk. The EU is supportive of your work stream on climate adaptation. We would like to hear your ideas to better engage with climate actors, and climate adaptation funds, over the next years?

Cooperation between the various UN entities, donors and affected countries will be the key for success in implement the Action Agenda. On this point, welcome the recent creation of the Group of Friends of Solutions to Internal Displacement, which already held its first meeting on 3 February, as a positive development. Which ideas would you would like to put forward to increase engagement of development actors (including development banks) both in HQ, Washington and in the field?

The EU has in the past supported the work of the UNSG High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement when it was established in October 2019, and current supports this crucial process, with the future funding of two ‘IDP Solutions Advisors’ in Nigeria in Colombia. We look forward to have the solutions advisors operational.

Lastly, you have identified 16 pilot countries where Solution Advisers may be deployed. As you are entering the second year of your mandate, what is your strategy to advance the IDP agenda in countries where there are no solution advisers?

Thank you.