São Paulo – Representatives of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR are seeking support from the private sector in Brazil to assist refugees and displaced people. In the Latin American giant, the challenge is to help those who have moved to the country integrate into the job market, UNHCR members said during a meeting on Wednesday (29) with the Secretary-General and Vice President of International Relations of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), Mohamad Mourad, at the institution’s headquarters in São Paulo.
UNHCR’s Senior Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer in Washington, United States, Mohammed Abu Asaker, said the UNHCR is committed to seeking durable solutions for refugees, the first being their return home. “If that is not possible, we strive for positive and effective integration with the communities where they reside,” he said.
He noted that two major challenges for refugees to settle in a country are the language barrier and finding employment. At the same time, Asaker and Mourad discussed support campaigns for refugees and displaced people.
“We reached out to the ABCC because we share the same values and principles. Given its influence and importance within the community, along with UNHCR’s strategic role in society, the private sector can become a key player in responding to humanitarian and refugee situations,” he told ANBA.
Mourad recalled that the ABCC encouraged the Arab community to provide aid to Lebanon in 2020 following the explosion at the port in Beirut. The same happened during the pandemic. He also mentioned that the ABCC could help UNHCR connect with other institutions supporting Arab countries. According to Asaker, there are currently 140 million refugees and displaced people worldwide. UNHCR does not have a mandate to assist Palestinian refugees and displaced persons, as they are supported by another UN agency, UNRWA.
UNHCR in Brazil
The UNHCR representative in Brazil, Davide Torzilli, said the country receives between 300 and 500 Venezuelans per day due to the flow of citizens from the neighboring country into cities in northern Brazil. He also highlighted the challenges of managing conflicts in Haiti, famine in Yemen, the crisis in Sudan, and Syria’s recovery, while emphasizing that Brazil itself faces significant challenges in handling the refugee influx it receives.
“It is important to have Brazil as a focus, and this is one of the reasons why UNHCR saw this meeting with the ABCC as an opportunity to seek a partnership to support refugees in integrating into Brazilian society. The best way to achieve integration is by working on employment opportunities,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Samantha Federici, UNHCR’s Director of Private Sector Partnerships; Marília Cintra Correa, UNHCR Brazil’s Partnerships and Philanthropy Coordinator; Claudia Yazigi, ABCC Board Member; and Elaine Prates, Senior International Relations Analyst at the ABCC.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
