Read-out of the meeting of President von der Leyen with Mr Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Tuesday, January 28 2020.

Today, President Ursula von der Leyen i received Mr Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

President von der Leyen and High Commissioner Grandi underlined the close and effective cooperation between the Commission and UNHCR i. They spoke about the displacement of refugees worldwide, referring to Africa and the need for pragmatic and sustainable solutions.

Mr Grandi thanked the EU for its financial support to the organisation and asked about possible flexibility in the way EU funding worked. President von der Leyen referred to the Multiannual Financial Framework, currently under negotiations and the possibilities that it could offer.

President von der Leyen and High Commissioner Grandi discussed the current situation of refugees in Greece. The presence of UNHCR is highly appreciated and their work on the ground is essential. Both agreed on the need for continued support, including through capacity.

They both expressed concern over the situation in Libya. President von der Leyen acknowledged the work of UNHCR in very difficult circumstances. In their meeting, the two also referred to the situation in Syria and Venezuela.