Five key challenges for new UN refugee chief

Filippo Grandi arrived in Geneva this week to begin his five-year term as head of the UN’s refugee agency.

Unlike many of his predecessors, he is not a former politician. Instead, he has had a long career with the UN, including a stint as head of UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees. His experience in the humanitarian and refugee sectors made him a popular insider’s choice for the role of High Commissioner, but he will also need considerable diplomatic skills to be effective as UNHCR’s chief fundraiser and refugee advocate at such a crucial time in the agency’s history.

Here are five of the greatest challenges likely to preoccupy him in the coming months:

• Providing protection and support to more than 60 million forcibly displaced people
• Dealing with protracted displacement
• Doing more with less
• Threats to refugee protection posed by growing security concerns
• Addressing root causes of displacement

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