…. and this is just at the end of 2016. A growing number of displaced people including 22.5 million of refugees. 23% more than in 2014.More than half are Afghan and Syrian children living without their parents.

Searching for responsibility…. that is the main goal to address this crisis that is, with no doubt of global nature. Indeed there should be leaders and institutions responding to this crisis that has one root: political crisis.

It’s important to change the current discourse style of “humanitarian aid” crisis into a joint collaboration perspective. In fact, this is not a matter of strict diplomacy, but of urgent intervention. Under the principle that: “Asylum is not a courtesy, is a responsibility”[1]

United Nations is this failed institution in charge of working as a Mediator in those conflicts that exceed the limits of their borders and become a burden for the rest of the world. However, the Security Council is blocking any attempt for a global consensus allowing  isolated attacks from US or Russia that have done nothing that contributes to peace or at least to instability.

War in cities and uncontrollable never-ending conflicts with the use of chemical weapons supposes an immediate intervention and implementation of sanctions towards countries/leaders responsible. However, this is not happening and a growing number of conflicts are coming without any measure of prevention against them.

This chaos would be seriously reduced if there were respect to International Humanitarian Law. Is it proven that people would be less inclined to flee if they feel the safety of a legal framework. This is the effective and sustainable way to stop mass mobilization and control migration crisis.

A crisis that not only represents the displacement of people but also the crisis of humanitarian organizations that are not capable to deploy their resources.

In addition to violent conflicts there is a new category of refugees resulting from the climate change impact that is also increasing the number of displaced people.

So, there is one part of this overwhelming exodus that only depends of political management and a determinate intervention (no US-Russia own struggle for power) but there is also a second part represented by the millions of people displaced because of climate change action. This reality demands new and innovative ways to adapt political systems on an attempt to keep the people in their countries under a renovated/controlled system.

Two sides of the same coin that demands one solution: reform national political systems according to acceptable standards of transparency and accountability inserted in a global structure that control and finally boost a resilient world.

It is not of a visionary leadership to see this crisis as a national and/or regional crisis but of a global responsibility coming from institutions like UN on their role as a Mediator. Indeed, currently the Security Council is not a balanced institution in terms of power and/or guarantor of global peace instability. Despite their mission is not representing global interests. US- Russia own conflict of interests have gone too far and is now more than specific violent conflicts but regional catastrophes that is affecting the lifes of million of people as well as destroying entire cities.

War in cities seems to come back and be installed as a new accepted and tolerated rule without applying sanctions for its violation.

Isolated efforts are not enough there is an urgent need for a global response and a formal acknowledgment from global institutions of their responsibility. Coming from United Nations or any organization or group of leaders willing to tackle a common crisis. As well as COP21 shows that the failure of global institutions may boost parallel structures stronger and effective, the refugees´ crisis is another of these catastrophes that call for joint action and fulfills the gap of current biased and indifferent leaders.

*Picture. Misha Gordin

[1] https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2015/09/09/taking-home-to-nowhere/