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Thank you, Mr. President/Chair.

Assistant Secretary-General Piper,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro*, Serbia^*, Albania^*, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for your tireless efforts as Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on Solutions to Internal Displacement, and congratulations on the impactful work achieved over the course of your mandate.

With the conclusion of your mandate, we commend your leadership in advancing the objectives of the Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, which remains pivotal to addressing the pressing challenge of internal displacement. By mid-2024, UNHCR estimated around 70 million individuals to be internally displaced due to conflict and violence—a sobering reminder of the urgency of this agenda.

The European Union and its Member States have been a staunch supporter of your mandate and the transformative work it has driven within the UN system. Your efforts to foster greater coherence and effectiveness in pursuing sustainable solutions to displacement have been instrumental. Fifteen countries and 8.5 million IDPs are now on a clear pathway to solutions, which include local integration, relocation, or return as part of government plans. We hope that more countries and IDPs could soon benefit from such durable solutions as well.

From the outset, the EU and its Member States have provided support for these efforts, including financing the High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement in 2019 and funding Solution Advisers in Colombia and Nigeria. The work of the UN Solutions Adviser Facility and Solution Advisers have played a crucial role in enhancing the coherence of the UN’s approach at country level, empowering Resident Coordinators, strengthening UN Country Teams, and promoting effective collaboration with political, development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding actors to better support IDPs.

We also welcome that internal displacement has been integrated as a relevant stand-alone topic into the new QCPR (Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review) Resolution. The Resolution calls upon the UN Development System as a whole to support countries in addressing the development needs of internally displaced persons and to find durable solutions in line with national policies and development priorities. This is particularly relevant with a view to strengthening the third pillar of the HDP-nexus, i.e. the peace component. We also appreciate that this year’s Resolution on Disaster Risk Reduction acknowledges the operationalization of the SG’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement with a particular emphasis on its commitment to preventing disaster-related displacement. This highlights the growing importance of investing in prevention measures to mitigate displacement caused by disasters.

As we mark the conclusion of your mandate, we reflect on the progress achieved and look forward to hearing your insights into lessons learned and opportunities for the future.

In particular, we would welcome (further) information/updates on the following areas:

1. Success stories and replicable actions: Could you share some examples of successful initiatives from the pilot countries, particularly regarding the inclusion of IDPs into society? Are there actions or approaches that can be replicated or scaled up to other contexts?
2. Climate dimensions of displacement: Given the recent conclusion of COP29 in Baku, how has your office worked to integrate displacement considerations into national action plans, as well as to ensure that climate action reaches displaced communities?
3. Next steps: How does the recently developed UN system-wide approach on internal displacement, established under the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), contribute to addressing internal displacement challenges?  What role will resident coordinators take after the end of your mandate, and what changes will there be in terms of coordination of the UN at country level?

The EU extends its gratitude for your unwavering commitment. The groundwork you have laid is invaluable, and we look forward to seeing these efforts continue as the international community pursues durable solutions to internal displacement.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.