In a recent interview with NPR’s Ari Shapiro, David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, discusses the Ukrainian refugee crisis and the global response.
When asked whether he thinks Ukrainians are being treated differently than other refugees, Miliband said, “Yes, they are, and that’s quite wrong. It’s actually formalized, which is that the European commitment that Ukrainian refugees can have the three years of work, residency, etc. – that’s not true if you’re not a Ukrainian. And, of course, globally, rights to work, rights to residency are much prized but not often given in the way that they have been.”
He said that there is both a moral and legal argument, “but also a geopolitical argument that this needs to be a learning moment for the way the world recognizes that a refugee is defined not by their nationality, but by their status. And that’s what it says in law, and that’s what should be played out, especially by richer countries who have no excuse, frankly, for the discrimination that exists.”
Click here for the full interview transcript.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 