The Secretary-General’s Press Encounter At Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh

This is my yearly Ramadan visit, this time in solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and with the Bangladeshi people [who] so generously host them. 

And in this visit, I’ve already heard two clear messages.  First, Rohingyas want to go back to Myanmar.  It is essential that the international community does everything to make sure that peace is reestablished in Myanmar and that the rights of the Rohingyas are respected, that discrimination and persecution like the one we have witnessed in the past, will end. 

And second, they want better conditions in the camp.  Unfortunately, recently, dramatic cuts in humanitarian aid were announced by the United States and by several other countries, mainly in Europe, and because of that, we are at risk to cut the food rations in this camp. 

I can promise that we will do everything to avoid it and I will be talking to all countries in the world that can support us in order to make sure that funds are made available to avoid a situation in which people would suffer even more and that some people would even die. 

We cannot accept that the international community forgets about the Rohingyas and my voice will speak loud to the international community saying we need urgently, more support because this population badly needs that support to be able to live in dignity here in Bangladesh. 

Thank you very much.