EU envoy suggests 'Whole of Cox's Bazar' approach to address Rohingya crisis

Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller has said they all understand that the solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis is "political" and said they should work with Dhaka to promote a 'Whole of Cox's Bazar' approach.

"All of us, Bangladesh, the EU and most importantly the Rohingya themselves, wish to see returns. But, conditions for safe, sustainable, voluntary and dignified return do not currently exist," he told UNB, sharing his experience of visiting the Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar recently. 

In the meantime, therefore, an "evolution" is needed in the response to allow more work on resilience, said the Ambassador.

This means, according to him, giving due consideration to allowing the construction of sturdier shelters that will make donor funding last longer, and for which there is a series of prototypes currently being tested. 

"It should also mean exploring how to promote greater resilience for the refugees and opening up digital education to avoid a situation in which desperate people are vulnerable to crime, exploitation and recruitment to fight in Myanmar," Ambassador Miller said.

The European Union recognises the burden borne by Bangladesh in hosting the Rohingya refugees, he said.   

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.3 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char. 

In 2024, the EU allocated EUR 43 million in humanitarian funding for the Rohingya response, for immediate disbursement, and a further EUR 35 million in development funding for the next three years. 

"We are supporting both the refugees and host communities. This is why I visited Cox's Bazar in October to understand what the situation is on the ground, to listen to Bengalis (Bangladeshis) and Rohingya and to consider how to maximise the impact and sustainability of our financing," said Ambassador Miller. 

"Security, or rather insecurity", was the number one topic that he heard in the camps, he said. 

"Outside the camps, we have worked, and continue to work, to promote a dynamic economy at the interface between the local economy and the camps. I only heard positive noises on our cooperation, reinforcing my sense that we should work with Dhaka to promote a 'Whole of Cox's Bazar' approach," the EU envoy added.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus recently proposed organizing an all stakeholders' international conference on the Rohingya issue.

"It has already received widespread international support," said Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Rafiqul Alam.

He expressed hope that this high-level conference will build political consensus on a realistic framework for the sustainable repatriation and reintegration of the Rohingya in Myanmar. 

Rafiqul Alam said the plan will also play an important role in addressing the root causes of the crisis and developing a timely and comprehensive framework to address the current situation.

Besides, he said, the conference will focus on addressing socio-economic, environmental and security challenges, mitigating the impact of the long-term damage caused by the Rohingya situation. 

"We also hope that the issues of increasing international commitment to resolving this problem, strengthening integrated humanitarian and development processes, and supporting accountability for crimes committed against the Rohingya population will emerge," said the Spokesperson.

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus has called for an "urgent attention" to the Rohingya crisis, including convening an international conference, to find a sustainable solution to the crisis and ensuring "safe and dignified" return of the Rohingya people to Myanmar. 

"We cannot ignore the people who continue to be persecuted, uprooted and subjected to gross violations of human rights in the Rakhine State (Myanmar) or Gaza. No person, regardless of their number or identity, is expandable," he said in October.