Geneva, Switzerland – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is officially honoring Ahmed Shehata as an Eminent Advocate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Eminent Advocates help to increase public awareness of the refugee cause and UNHCR’s work.
This honor, bestowed during a ceremony on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, recognizes Shehata’s longstanding and ongoing support for people forced to flee around the world, at a critical time when displacement is rising, and vulnerabilities are increasing. “UNHCR is honored to recognize Ahmed Shehata as an Eminent Advocate. Over several years, Mr. Shehata has demonstrated a strong commitment to advocating for refugees both in his personal capacity and as CEO of Islamic Relief USA,” said Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “Shehata is an essential voice promoting and mobilizing support for refugees around the world.” Today, more than 122 million people are displaced globally. With a shortage of funding, needs are growing rapidly, and more voices are needed to amplify the refugee cause. “The plight of refugees and displaced people around the globe is too big for the world community to ignore,” Shehata said. “Their struggles are overwhelming, and we must do everything in our power to provide them with the basic resources and tools needed to live a self-sustainable, dignified life. I am honored to be named as an eminent advocate for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. I look forward to raising awareness, generating support, and providing solutions that can improve the lives and conditions of refugees in increasingly complex environments.” As an eminent advocate, Shehata will help highlight UNHCR’s work on aiding displaced people through advocacy campaigns, operational visits, and fundraising. For several years, Shehata served as Director of Fund Development at Islamic Relief USA before being appointed CEO for the organization. The recognition builds on a strong relationship that Islamic Relief USA and UNHCR national partner, USA for UNHCR, have developed over the last few years.