Skopje, 26 January 2022 (MIA) – President Stevo Pendarovski addressed Wednesday the Forum on International Refugee Protection, organized by the Refugee Law and Migration Center at the Iustinianus Primus Law Faculty of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje in cooperation with the UNHCR Representation in North Macedonia and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo. The conference is a strong example for the much-needed multilateralism and international cooperation, said Pendarovski. “Conflicts, terrorism, the pandemic, the socio-economic and financial instability are still obstructing the way of life around the world. They are still a threat to human rights and liberties causing large-scale humanitarian disasters and unprecedented number of refugees – people in a need of protection while fleeing from persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, belonging in certain social group or political affiliation,” the President said in his address. According to him, the countries are largely responsible when it comes to protection of refugees and human rights. “We have to be the first when meeting the obligations stemming from the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Refugee Forum. “Having signed the 1951 Convention and through its years-long cooperation with UNHCR, North Macedonia had demonstrated solidarity with refugees from multiple conflicts in recent history. From the wars in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s to the thousands of refugees that had transited the country in 2015 and 2016 – we worked non-stop to provide protection to these people and to remain a strong supporter to the shared global responsibility,” stressed the President. After the fall of Kabul last year, he noted, guided by the moral obligation and solidarity and confirming our international commitment in line with our tradition, we immediately showed our preparedness to accept Afghan refugees. According to Pendarovski, COVID-19 has challenged our ways of living at many levels all the while pushing us to re-examine our positions on different aspects of life. However, he stated, we shouldn’t let the pandemic be the excuse for lack of solidarity. “Through these years of major challenges, we will need a stronger and deeper partnership and solidarity. It will be very important if established experts and academics gave us recommendations as to what the countries, the civil society, the private sector and all goodwilled people can do together to protect refugees in order to expand the possibilities of landing a hand to those in need,” said President Pendarovski.