UN secretary-general commends African leaders for convention on forced displacement

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday commended African leaders for their determination to adopt a convention that will address the plight of forced displacement on the continent.

Ban, in a statement read for him by Antonio Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the convention demonstrates Africa's commitment to solving its problems.

"I salute African leadership for determination to address the challenge of forced displacement. You have come together to forge a better future," he said.

The statement was read at the opening of a special African Union Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons.

The convention which is expected to be adopted by the heads of state at the end of the summit on Friday will be a legal instrument that provides a framework through which the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons can be addressed.

It will be the first legal instrument in the world to address the plight of internally displaced persons.

Ban urged the leaders to also put into consideration forced displacements that are caused by natural disasters like drought and floods.

He said that although Africa may not be a major contributor of climate change, it is vulnerable to the effects.

"An agreement at Copenhagen must provide adaptation measures that address the heightened vulnerability of Africans to climate change-induced displacement," he said.

Africa hosts the largest number of refugees and internally displaced persons in the world, numbering about 17 million people. The majority of them are displaced by armed conflicts.

<i>Source:Xinhua</i>