World leaders have wasted a critical opportunity to tackle the global refugee crisis, said Amnesty International today after talks for a new UN refugee deal ended falling far short of expectations.

Late last night, the United Nations (UN) member states meeting in New York finalised a watered-down outcome document for adoption at a UN Summit meant to tackle the refugee crisis on 19 September. The Global Compact on Refugees proposed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is not included and will now not be agreed before 2018.

Charlotte Phillips, advisor on Refugee and Migrants’ Rights at Amnesty International, said:

“Faced with the worst refugee crisis in 70 years, world leaders have failed to bear the weight of responsibility.

“The Refugee Summit was a historic opportunity to find a desperately-needed global solution to the refugee crisis. Instead, world leaders delayed any chance of a deal until 2018, procrastinating over crucial decisions even as refugees drown at sea and languish in camps with no hope for the future.

“But failure to agree a deal does not let governments off the hook. States cannot continue to abdicate their responsibility to help people fleeing war and persecution.”

More information on the negotiations is available in a press statement of 25 July