UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi has said that he is certain that the voice of Pope Francis is very important in Africa.

Grandi was granted an audience with the pope on January 30, on the eve of his trip to the African continent.

Afterwards he spoke to Vatican Radio and noted that, over the past 30 years, violence against civilians and especially against women had been "terrible".

He said that he hoped that the pope's voice could thus remind the world that it is important to support the humanitarian response to the crisis

Treatment of Ukrainians as 'model' for other refugees

Attempts at peace processes have been timid and unproductive and the pressure created by such a massive presence of refugees from all of Africa has led to more tension.

Grandi noted that these situations are complicated and that the role of those fleeing at times has an influence also on the conflicts themselves with refugees in a very difficult position.

Looking at Ukraine as an example, in a single year of war, at least 7 million people fled abroad and 5 million are internally displaced.

This humanitarian crisis immediately sparked solidarity in the EU, which adopted a temporary protection system for refugees from this country.

The High Commissioner noted that the fact that such a huge number of Ukrainian refugees has been welcomed and offered assistance has led to accusations of double standards and discrimination towards migrants and refugees from other regions.

“It is true," he said, "that Ukrainians have been treated very well and that this is not the case, always, with other people from other nationalities.”

“But I try to see this from the positive side,” Grandi said, noting key lessons he said had been learnt on "temporary protection, access of refugees to services, to the job market, freedom of movement.”

“All of this, far from being a complication for States has been an advantage, has made receiving refugees much more efficient and humane. And that's also because States in Europe in particular, have worked together.”

Grandi said the response Europe has had for Ukraine has "created a model along lines that we've been advising governments to follow for many decades."

Importance of civil society

There is heated debate in Europe not only on the issue of migrant reception, especially as concerns the number of refugees for individual member states, but also on that of the role of NGOs in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

Grandi stressed the importance of civil society and said that while the Italian Coast Guard does an excellent job with rescues, it is simply not enough and thus civil society is of key assistance.

He said that such activities should be supported.

PM calls not distinguishing between refugees and economic migrants 'ideological'

"President Meloni confirmed the Italian Government’s appreciation for the UN Refugee Agency’s work for the protection and welfare of refugees, and underlined the UNHCR’s excellent cooperation with Italy, especially in Libya and the Sahel and in creating humanitarian corridors," according to a statement issued by the Italian prime minister's office.

The statement also noted that Meloni "stressed the need to move beyond an ideological approach that confuses legitimate protection for refugees with policies for economic migrants, confirming the Government’s commitment to urgently have a European management of migration flows that includes structural measures and cooperation with African countries."

"High Commissioner Grandi thanked Italy for the constant support it provides to the UNHCR and shared the importance of ensuring management of migration flows at EU level, with strategic investments in Africa," the statement said.

Following the meeting with Grandi, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on Twitter in Italian that, "collaboration with UNHCR is important in the Italian strategy on migration, based on countering unauthorised cross-border movements, protection of human rights, and the opening of humanitarian corridors."