On 19 June 2026, European Commissioner for Crisis Management Dubravka Šuica issued a joint statement with the High Representative ahead of World Refugee Day, recognising the resilience of more than 117 million displaced people worldwide and reaffirming the EU's role as the leading humanitarian donor. The statement noted that in 2025 the number of displaced people globally fell for the first time in a decade, attributing this to the EU's approach of addressing root causes through international partnerships.
The statement highlighted the EU's responsibility in hosting refugees, including temporary protection for over 4.8 million people fleeing Russia's war in Ukraine. It also cited EU humanitarian responses in Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo, delivering food, water, shelter, education and healthcare. The statement referenced the newly adopted Joint Communication on Humanitarian Action of 27 May 2026, which reinforces an Integrated Approach to Fragility, promoting public-private partnerships for investments in fragile settings and addressing root causes of displacement through resilience, stability and sustainable development. The EU also reiterated its commitment to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The statement further pointed to the first European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy, describing it as a vision for a fair and firm comprehensive approach to migration and asylum.
The statement contains no concrete new proposals, measurable targets, or numerical commitments beyond reiterating existing policy orientations and the 2025 displacement decline. It is a declarative reaffirmation of the EU's humanitarian role and policy direction, with no new legislative or financial measures announced.