QNA/New York

Qatar has said that the refugees crisis represents a global challenge and must be solved by dealing with the reasons and factors behind the crisis.  
Addressing the 70th session of the UN General Assembly meeting to consider agenda item 130 “Global Awareness of the Tragedies of Irregular Migrants in the Mediterranean Basin with Specific Emphasis on Syrian Asylum Seekers”, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bint Saif al-Thani called on the international community to protect the refugees and ensure their right to apply for asylum and respect the principle of non-refoulement under the Refugee Convention of 1951.
Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Qatar has warned of its implications and impacts on the humanitarian situation, and the dire consequences on the regional and international peace and security, she said.
The delay in dealing with the crisis led to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the displacement of millions of Syrians, and the influx of millions of refugees to neighbouring countries until they reached Europe, Sheikha Alia said.  
She reiterated Qatar’s commitment to support the Syrian people and all international efforts aiming at reaching a political settlement to the Syrian crisis.
Sheikha Alia said that Qatar has taken all steps to alleviate the suffering of displaced civilians and refugees.
She said that at the beginning of the crisis there were 20,000 Syrian residents in Qatar, now the number  exceeds 54,000, pointing out that Qatar also attaches great importance to the issue of Syrian children’s education. About 600,000 Syrian children have benefited from Qatar’s initiative “Educate a Child” since 2012.
Qatar has also launched an initiative in the third donors’ conference in Kuwait to establish a joint fund for education and professional development of the displaced Syrian young people and children, the ambassador added.
Sheikha Alia hailed Kuwait’s gesture of hosting the donors’ conference, which contributed in a big way to support the Syrian people, and looked forward the donors’ conference on the humanitarian crisis in Syria, to be held in London in February 2016.
She underlined that Qatar will continue to support all international and regional efforts to deal with the roots of this problem and the roots of terrorism, and it will not hesitate to work with its partners in the humanitarian sector to alleviate the suffering of civilians, refugees and displaced persons.  
The statement expressed Qatar’s appreciation for Syria’s neighbouring countries, especially Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, and for the efforts of other European countries to accommodate Syrian refugees and provide them with protection and ease their suffering.
Qatar also expressed the appreciation for the efforts undertaken by Antonio Guterres, the High Commissioner of the United Nations for Refugees, UNHCR, United Nations organs and agencies concerned, as well as non-governmental organisations which worked tirelessly to help the refugees and displaced person.