The French government has donated EUR 1.5 million, or USD 1.6 million, to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in support of UNHCR’s efforts to provide Rohingyas in Bangladesh with essential protection services and humanitarian aid.
According to a UNHCR press release, this contribution will be crucial in strengthening refugee resilience through skill development and supporting climate action by providing clean cooking energy through the provision of an alternative to firewood that helps prevent deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions. Since their arrival from Myanmar in 2017, nearly one million displaced Rohingyas have been hosted in Bangladesh and remain dependent on humanitarian assistance.
“France is a steadfast supporter of the Rohingya refugee response. This generous contribution will support the humanitarian and protection needs of the Rohingya refugees including their education and skills development,” said Sumbul Rizvi, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh.
“It will also support the host communities, who are on the frontlines of the climate and refugee situation, through successful rehabilitation of the environment and ecosystems of Cox’s Bazar, by substantially reducing CO2 emissions,” she added.
As France once again stands in solidarity with Rohingyas, UNHCR hopes this contribution will serve as a catalyst for other donors to follow suit, at a time of humanitarian funding shortfalls.
“France salutes Bangladesh for hosting nearly one million Rohingyas,” said Marie Masdupuy, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh.
“We will continue to advocate for better opportunities for refugees, hoping for their safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation. Our top priorities go to addressing the growing insecurity in the camps and incidents of refoulement to Burma, as well as improving livelihoods for Rohingyas”, she added.
Humanitarian organizations requested more than $852 million in 2024 in order to provide assistance to about 1.35 million individuals, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas living in nearby regions. The Joint Response Plan is funded to less than thirty percent by midyear. Pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum last year, which France co-convened, must also be kept in order to help the Rohingyas become self-sufficient and to lessen the pressure on Bangladesh’s government, which is kindly hosting them.
