14.11.2015 Antalya
The G20 expansion groups representing the business world (B20), civil society (C20), syndicates (L20), academics (T20), women (W20) and youth (Y20) called for “support for the development programs of the countries harboring the highest number of Syrian refugees,” in their proclamation regarding the refugee crisis.
Prior to the G20 Leaders Summit, expansion groups made an announcement
regarding the refugee crisis.
In the proclamation, it is stated that there is a vast amount of worry
in regards to the refugee crisis and a clear need for a stronger collective
action to address the issue.
The proclamation which will be relayed to the government leaders who
will be attending the G20 Leaders Summit and will urge “support for the
development programs of the countries harboring the highest number of Syrian
refugees,” states:
“It is of the utmost importance that the steps to be taken by G20 will
go above and beyond humanitarian aid and will include mid to long term economic
support for the refugees and the countries which host them. In terms of
structural, geopolitical and financial effects, with a focus on coordination,
G20 stands at the ideal position to provide this support. The leaders of the
countries with the largest economies in the world are obligated to act in the
face of this situation.”
The demands put forth in the proclamation are:
- Refugees should be allowed to work and the necessary steps to ensure
this need to be taken.
- In the spirit of international cooperation, refugees who have been
forced to flee to neighboring countries should be fairly redistributed.
- World Bank, United Nations and other international organizations
should work with the regional and international organizations which are working
to provide employment to refugees as well as supporting the integration of
refugees.
- Countries hosting refugees should work together with international
organizations to begin and finance skill enhancing programs to increase the
capacities of refugees.
- Steps to encourage new and innovative economic activities which will
benefit refugees and the countries hosting them should be taken.
- Needs of refugees should be financed with social protection programs
of their host countries.
- Deeper integration of refugees should be supported and, in order to
lighten the burden of host countries, basic social services such as education
and health need to be invested in. The G20 term chair, Turkey, is and has
been hosting the largest population of
refugees for years.
- Call for a solution to the
refugee problem
TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the world is
experiencing the largest refugee crisis since WWII.
Reporting that half of all Syrian refugees are living in Turkey and that
Turkey is trying to solve this problem with its own resources, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “The refugee crisis is a global issue and as such needs to be solved by
all of us together.”
Türk-İş General Director Ergün Atalay stated that Syrian refugees are
their guests and that syndicates in Turkey are working to contribute to a
solution to the refugee crisis.
T20 Chair Güven Sak pointed to the need for international cooperation in
order to bring about a solution to the refugee crisis.
C20 Chair Zeynep Bodur Okyay stated that the refugees are in need of G20
support and stressed the need to focus on long term solutions to the issue
instead of shorter ones.
International Trade Union Confederation Secretary General Sharan Burrow
expressed her admiration for the hospitability shown to refugees by Turkey
which she witnessed during her visit to the refugee camps established in
Turkey.