UN General Assembly adopts resolution on Abkhazia, Tskhinvali region IDP status

10:48, 17.06.2021

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution initiated by Georgia and 57 countries on the status of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region, Georgia. Eighty member states supported the resolution at the 74th session on June 16 in New York, the Permanent Mission of Georgia to the United Nations reported.

“Like last year, UN member states were given the opportunity this year to co-sponsor the resolution and thus become even more actively involved in international efforts to address the dire humanitarian situation created by Russian aggression and occupation. As a result, 57 countries from different regions of the world joined the ranks of co-authors of the resolution, which is an increase compared to last year. This fact shows that the mentioned resolution is already a global initiative,” the information by Permanent Mission of Georgia reads.

Georgia has been submitting this resolution to the UN General Assembly since 2008. The resolution condemns the forcible demographic changes in the occupied regions of Georgia, affirms the right of IDPs to return to their homes in a dignified and safe manner, regardless of ethnicity, and emphasizes the need to respect and protect their property rights. In addition to the humanitarian context, the resolution has practical implications. It instructs the UN Secretary-General to prepare an annual report on the state of the IDPs living in Georgia and resolution implementation.

“This is particularly important in light of the dire human rights situation in the occupied territories of Georgia and the lack of international monitoring mechanisms, which is another obstacle to the safe and dignified return of IDPs and refugees. The resolution also calls on the participants in the Geneva talks to step up efforts to improve the security and human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia, which in turn will facilitate the return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes. Georgian Foreign Ministry thanks all the countries who supported the resolution and became a co-author of the initiative. With this decision, each country reaffirmed its support for the right of return of internally displaced persons and refugees and expressed its support for each IDP,” the statement reads.

By - Tamar Tabatadze

Politics