UN urges for USD 877 mln for Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh

Vital services and assistance including access to food, shelter, clean water and sanitation, require urgent funding and total 55 per cent of the overall appeal, with food needs alone accounting for almost 29 per cent. Health, protection, education, site management, energy and environment continue to be critical to ensuring the safety and dignity of Rohingya refugees, and the well-being of local Bangladeshis.

"The Government and the People of Bangladesh have shown immense solidarity in welcoming the Rohingya refugees. Fostering peaceful coexistence between communities and invigorating the local economy is imperative as this crisis continues", UNHCR said in a statement.

2020 marks the third year of exile for most Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, following their flight from Myanmar in 2017. The Rohingya are clear that they want to go home, but only when they and their families will be safe, when they can access to basic rights and services and see a pathway to citizenship in Myanmar.

''Support of the 2020 Joint Response Plan is essential to safeguarding the well-being of Rohingya refugees - both now in Bangladesh and once it is safe and sustainable for them to return home to Myanmar. Until then, the world must stand by the Rohingya and by the Government and people of Bangladesh who continue to host them. Most important will be engaging refugees and hearing their voices and understanding their hopes and vision for the future'', UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.

Until return becomes possible, the Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian partners continue working together to meet the needs of the Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis living nearby and to improve their lives. The 2020 JRP places a clearer and stronger emphasis on areas that have most impacted host communities, including public service infrastructure and delivery, access to sustainable livelihoods, rehabilitation of the environment and energy initiatives.