Refugees and asylum-seekers cannot not be victims of a scramble to close national borders and restrict air travel amid the Covid-19 coronavirus global pandemic, United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi said on Thursday.
“With the world mobilizing to combat the spread of Covid-19, many countries are rightly adopting exceptional measures, limiting air travel and cross-border movements," Grandi said in a statement.
"But wars and persecution have not stopped – and today, across the globe, people are continuing to flee their homes in search of safety," Grandi stressed.
Grandi said he was "increasingly worried" by measures adopted by some countries that could "block altogether" the right to seek asylum.
While states need to manage their borders to cope with the Covid-19 emergency, "these measures should not result in closure of avenues to asylum, or of forcing people to return to situations of danger," he stated.
"Solutions exist," Grandi underlined.
Screening, testing, quarantine and other measures can be put in place so countries can safely manage the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees while respecting international refugee protection standards designed to save lives, Grandi said.
"In these challenging times, let us not forget those who are fleeing war and persecution. They need – we all need - solidarity and compassion now more than ever before.”
