UNHCR Chief Warns Against Reforming Refugee Convention

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, strongly advised against reforms to the refugee convention and the asylum system, labeling it a catastrophic mistake. The call is in response to potential moves by the U.S., under President Trump's administration, to limit asylum rights at the United Nations.

In a firm address to member states at the annual UNHCR meeting in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, warned that any reforms to the refugee convention would be a catastrophic error.

Grandi stressed the grave implications of reconsidering the principles of asylum, established post-World War Two, in response to current calls for reform.

Documents reveal that President Donald Trump's administration is planning to advocate for a significant narrowing of asylum rights at the United Nations, further igniting this crucial debate on humanitarian protection.