The President of the Government of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès, emphasised from Geneva today that "the Government of Catalonia, especially during the last two years, has regained its leading role and a prominent presence in the United Nations framework". And he assured that from the Government "we will continue working to strengthen the relationship with United Nations", because "we want to contribute to tackling global challenges".

Aragonès travelled to Geneva today to take part in the Global Refugee Forum organised by the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. This forum, which is held every four years, is the most important international summit on refugees. It is attended by the member states of the United Nations and key international players in this area, and aims to establish formal commitments to implement the objectives of the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees.

Speaking to the media from the headquarters of the Catalan Government Delegation to Switzerland, President Pere Aragonès announced that during his speech at the forum he will advocate greater participation by governments such as Catalonia's in making decisions regarding the reception of refugees.

Along these lines, the President said that "governments like that of Catalonia need to be much more present and play a more prominent role, even more so than nation states, which still have most of the decision-making power". “Solidary Catalonia, the Catalonia that in humanitarian terms is ready to welcome refugees, also wants to participate in decision-making," he reiterated.

The head of the government also referred to the position of the Government of Catalonia in the face of the "humanitarian brutality" that is taking place in Gaza. He noted that the death toll has exceeded 18,000 and emphasised that "the impact it is having, especially on children and vulnerable people, is absolutely unacceptable and reprehensible”. "An immediate ceasefire is essential, and a diplomatic solution is needed to initiate what must be the social, economic, and political reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.