President Margvelashvili at UN World Humanitarian Summit:
“Georgia is a victim of Russia’s creeping occupation”

Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili has addressed dozens of world leaders at the first United Nations (UN) World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey today and reminded them Georgia was a victim of Russia’s creeping occupation.

 In front of presidents, prime ministers and governmental officials from all over the world, Margvelashvili spoke about Russia’s ongoing occupation of Georgia’s lands, the important of international cooperation against occupation and the necessity of solving the vast problems facing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees.

 The UN World Humanitarian Summit saw leaders of about 70 nations gather and discuss how prevent and reduce human suffering worldwide.

Few days ago we saw incident when occupation soldiers killed peaceful Georgian on the occupation line. #WHSummitpic.twitter.com/5IV43Wa5mK

— President Of Georgia (@MargvelashviliG) May 23, 2016

Unfortunately Georgia knows too well about occupation and ethnic cleansing,” Margvelashvili said.

 Half a million of our population are IDPs. We still face problem of diving lines and creeping occupation.

 Russia continually erects barbed wire fences to divide us and destroy all means of communication. A couple of days ago we witnessed a brutal tragedy when a peaceful Georgian man was violently killed at Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating de facto Abkhazia from the rest of Georgia,” the President said.

 The two-day UN World Humanitarian Summit will include a raft of events allowing participants to meet and discuss pressing humanitarian issues.

Attending World Humanitarian Summit #WHSummit#Istanbul 2016 pic.twitter.com/7d653KFWxC

— President Of Georgia (@MargvelashviliG) May 23, 2016

As well as an opening and closing ceremony, the event will include high-level leaders’ roundtables, special sessions that support partnerships and a range of side events involving governments, international and non-governmental organisations, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders.

 The conference will also host an exhibition fair and innovation marketplace where governments, organisations and other players can showcase their work in the humanitarian direction.

 The UN World Humanitarian Summit will end tomorrow evening.