IRC calls on UK government to keep its promise to resettle at least 20,000 Syrian refugees

August 25, 2016 —  The Government must waste no time in fulfilling the promise to resettle at least 20,000 Syrian refugees to the UK. This represents a tiny proportion of refugees in need of resettlement. Other countries, such as the US and Canada, are doing much more.  

Across the country, people are moved by horrific pictures coming out of Syria and eager to help. Through the Home Office’s Community Sponsorship, the Government can now work with local communities, whose sympathy and generosity for refugees has been striking, to meet its target.

Next month world leaders meet in New York for two refugee and migration summits. These summits are an opportunity to redouble commitments to refugee resettlement and a test of how serious the UK government is about resettling its fair share of the world’s refugees.

The International Rescue Committee’s Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy, Melanie Ward said: “At a time when people are acutely aware of the true horror of life in Syria, the Government must keep its promise to resettle at least 20,000 Syrian refugees and push for real global progress at the refugee and migration summits next month."