Statement on the UN Refugee Convention

British Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson said:

“The UK has a proud history of providing protection for refugees. In our increasingly unstable world, the 1951 UN Refugee Convention remains one of the bedrocks of the international rules-based order.

“The majority of people seeking sanctuary do so close to their home country. This Convention has brought safety to thousands of men, women and children who have fled their homes in fear for their lives.

“We cannot undo decades of good work and jeopardise the safety of people in desperate need of protection. It is vital that all countries take their share of responsibility for the world’s refugees and people seeking asylum, and in this context, the Refugee Convention is as important and necessary as ever.”