“This may seem surprising, because the world has not become safer, quite the opposite,” he said, pointing to conflicts in places such as Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar.
Voluntary return is crucial
The “unexpected decline” is largely due to returns to their places of origin, mainly Syria and Afghanistan. Most were volunteers, despite the continued fragility in these places.
“The voluntary nature of returns is an important distinction that statistics do not always reflect, as the decline in the total number of forcibly displaced people also unfortunately explains returns that were not voluntary,” Mr. Grandi said.
The return of displaced Syrians “illustrates very clearly the dynamic of voluntariness,” he told the ambassadors.
More than one million refugees have returned since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, while some two million people inside Syria have returned to their communities of origin.
Greater support for Syria
Grandi highlighted the need to support Syria, where teams from his refugee agency, UNHCR, are on the ground providing cash assistance, shelter rehabilitation, documentation and other services to meet immediate needs.
“But much more is needed,” he said. “The international community, and especially donors in the Gulf region and Europe and international financial institutions, must step up their support to build infrastructure, restore services, reform the security sector and revive the economy.”
Forced returns to Afghanistan
The situation of Afghans, particularly those forced to return from Iran and Pakistan, has been the other factor that has contributed to reducing displacement numbers.
The two countries have hosted Afghan refugees for decades, who received access to services “virtually on par with nationals.” Furthermore, generations of these refugees, especially women, were educated in local schools.
“But recent waves of forced returns to Afghanistan deny many Afghan refugees the protection they need, forcing them to return to an environment where human rights violations and discrimination are widespread, especially against women,” he said.
Protection and opportunities
Grandi explained that forced displacement is “a complex phenomenon” since “people can flee a country at the same time as others return to it,” as is the case in both Sudan and South Sudan.
The answer is also “a complex challenge”, however “the solution does not lie in restrictions, barriers and setbacks”.
He suggested that “it is more strategic to look at entire movement routes and identify measures that provide protection and opportunities to people on the move and their hosts, as soon as possible, before people cross multiple borders.”
Financial deficit
Grandi will leave UNHCR in the coming weeks “after 10 challenging but fascinating years”.
Before concluding his speech, he addressed how this year’s “drastic and sudden reductions in funding” have had an impact on the agency and the entire humanitarian sector.
UNHCR faces a $1.3 billion deficit and expects to receive less than $4 billion this year, out of a $10.6 billion budget.
He urged donors to help “close the gap” and make early and flexible pledges for 2026.