Angelina Jolie alarmed about global state of displacement in refugee camp visit

By
AFP
Angelina Jolie arrived by helicopter accompanied by Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister 

Oscar-winning actor Angelina Jolie on Sunday visited a refugee camp in Burkina Faso sheltering thousands of Malians who have fled violence in the region.

Jolie visited the camp at Goudebou, in the northeast of the landlocked west African country, as part of her role as an ambassador for the UN refugee organisation, the UNHCR.

Jolie arrived by helicopter accompanied by Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Alpha Barry for a ceremony to mark World Refugee Day.

"I have marked this day every year for 20 years with refugees in different countries," she said after her visit.

"I have never been as worried about the state of displacement globally as I am today," she added.

"The truth is we are not doing half of what we could and should to find solutions to enable refugees to return home -- or to support host countries, like Burkina Faso, coping for years with a fraction of the humanitarian aid needed to provide basic support and protection."

"The refugees are battered because the security situation is deteriorating day by day despite the efforts by the Burkinabe authorities, their partners and the defence and security forces in the Sahel region," said Wanadine ag Mohamed, the representative for the Goudebou refugees.