Former foreign secretary David Miliband, now president of the International Rescue Committee, says the view from the US is that Britain is “resigning” from the world.
David Miliband has urged rich countries – including the UK – to do more to help with the global refugee crisis. He told Channel 4 News around 30 countries around the world were “on fire” and there needed to be more and better aid available to fragile states to help them tackle the hunger, poverty and instability that causes so many to take perilous journeys searching for a better life.
The 200 refugees from Syria the government has taken into the UK, he said, is just not enough considering the scale of the emergency.
“The UN have said that 130,000 refugees from Syria – the most vulnerable people, fearing persecution – should be taken in by the rich 25 countries of the world. American has historically taken half of those resettled refugees and we are calling here for 65,000 refugees should be taken in. There is no doubt that countries like Britain should play their part.”
Mr Miliband said world crises would be “many times worse” without the efforts of the European Community, and urged the government to “double down” on European foreign and diplomatic efforts, instead of withdrawing.
While commending the UK’s efforts on aid in terms of the amount given each year – a world leading 0.7 per cent of national income – and in terms of the distribution by DfID in its attempts to ensure it is spent effectively, he said the UK and other rich countries are failing the world’s most vulnerable people.
The former Labour foreign secretary, who has been living in New York since taking up his post as the head of the International Rescue Committee, said the view from the US is that Britain is not doing enough to shoulder its responsiblity to the global community and was at risk of appearing to “resign from the world”.
He said: “There is very fundamental point here and that is that countries like Britain and the US have benefitted massively from the openness of globalisation and the question is whether or not we are willing to bear the burdens of globalisation as well as the blessings.”