“We lost our homes. We lost our friends. Our families.”
“We don’t want to lose ourselves.”

These are words that I heard when I visited Gorom in South Sudan earlier this year.
I talked to women who had found shelter in a refugee camp.
They had walked hundreds of kilometers to flee from the violence in Sudan, carrying their children on their backs. Some of them had to witness their own daughters being raped on the way.

Yet, despite all the hardship, these women’s focus was on creating a sense of normalcy.
In an overcrowded UNHCR camp, with not enough doctors, not enough teachers, and too little safety, especially for women.

They were getting up early in the morning, cleaning their tents, providing for their children, teaching them basic skills.

All this driven by hopes for a better future.

Their stories left a deep impression on me and on many of us who travel to these camps.
Because we know that they reflect the stories of so many others around the world.

More than 120 million people globally are forced from their homes today – more than ever before.

And there is no end in sight - as conflict is spreading and the climate crisis is advancing with devastating speed.

As partners, we are here to provide a response to this global crisis.
A response that is not only strong.
But crucially: a response that is realistic and sustainable.

We have to face the reality that displacement in many contexts is not a short-term emergency. Displacement often lasts for decades. Sometimes for generations.
Some of the women in Gorom in South Sudan have lived there for many years– in a camp that was originally designed to host 2,500 people.
And has now swelled to almost 15,000.

We must acknowledge that the tools we currently rely on are insufficient to meet these growing challenges.

That’s why together, we want to move beyond managing crises and temporary relief to laying the ground for durable solutions.

In that, better coordination is paramount.
We are thankful to be here to work on this together. Questions regarding durable solutions, cooperation, efficiency and coordination are more important than ever – not only for those receiving help, but also for donour countries, so that we can continue to provide support.

How do we best use and combine the tools and expertise that each of us, each national and global actor, brings to the table? From humanitarian actors, development and stabilization partners, to financial institutions and the private sector – under the leadership of the host countries.

We want to enable those who were forced to leave their homes to become better integrated into their new local communities and national systems. So that they can start rebuilding their lives.

This is the potential of UNHCR’s proposed “Sustainable Programming” approach.
Germany, as both a large refugee-hosting country and the second-largest bilateral UNHCR donor, will continue to strongly support this endeavor.

And many of you are already turning words into action.
Mauritania is one key example for that, and I am sure we will hear more on this from the minister.

Mauritania chose a path focused on solidarity and integration, rallying local authorities and international partners to build solutions.
As a result, refugees there now receive access to the national health and education system.
They are part of the local labor force, contributing to local development and rebuilding their lives in dignity.
We are proud to support these efforts. And we are also proud that we are trying to do the same. Language and education is key in this.

Excellencies,
During my travels over these past months, I have listened to many harrowing stories: from the women in Sudan, to Ukrainian families driven out of their homes by Russia’s war of aggression.

But amidst the despair, I’ve also seen stories of great resilience and inspiration:

Just a few weeks ago, I met athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team in Paris.
These are men and women from all over the world, from different paths, different religions – united through sports.
One of them, boxer Cindy Ngamba, won the first ever medal for the Olympic Refugee team.

By taking bold steps to improve our joint programming,
By focusing on education, on employment possibilities, on building a better future in dignity, our focus is to make sure that
life is not just about survival.
But about the future.