GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. refugee company stated Tuesday it is giving its highest award to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her efforts to welcome greater than 1 million refugees — largely from Syria — into Germany, regardless of some criticism each at house and overseas.
Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesman for the U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Refugees, stated Merkel had been chosen as the most recent recipient for the Nansen award, which is handed out yearly by the Geneva-based U.N. company.
“Beneath the then-Federal Chancellor Merkel’s management, Germany welcomed greater than 1.2 million refugees and asylum-seekers in 2015 and 2016, which, as you’ll bear in mind, was the peak of the battle in Syria, and there was lethal violence in different elements of the world,” Saltmarsh instructed reporters. “Dr. Merkel helped to focus on the plight of refugees globally.”
Merkel’s determination to let in so many migrants boosted the far-right Different for Germany get together and resulted in protests by a vocal minority. She was additionally blasted by some governments for being too pleasant to refugees, when some European Union companion states have been closing borders to refugees and asylum-seekers.
The award features a $150,000 prize. Merkel is anticipated to journey to Geneva subsequent Monday to obtain the award, Saltmarsh stated. 4 regional winners have been additionally introduced.
The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award honors people, teams or organizations that go “above and past the decision of responsibility” to guard refugees, different displaced and stateless folks, the company says.
Greater than 60 laureates have obtained the award because it was based in 1954 to have fun Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian scientist, explorer and diplomat who was the primary commissioner for refugees within the League of Nations — the predecessor of the the United Nations
The recipient in 2021 was the Jeel Albena Affiliation for Humanitarian Improvement in Yemen, for its assist for displaced Yemenis.