Washington, DC - Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, will travel to Lesvos, Greece and Geneva, Switzerland.

Deputy Secretary Higginbottom’s trip to Greece on March 28 underscores the U.S. Government’s support for Greece’s efforts to manage flows of refugees and migrants humanely. During the visit, she will visit facilities involved in registering newly arrived migrants and talk to young refugees at a local center. She will meet with other delegations to discuss how the United States can work with partners to expand and improve the global effort to assist refugees, through significant new commitments in increased funding for UN humanitarian appeals, refugee resettlement, integration, and self-reliance.

The United States has an abiding interest in the welfare of refugees and migrants, including those who are risking their lives in a desperate attempt to find safety in Europe. In Fiscal Year 2016, the U.S. Government has provided nearly $24 million in humanitarian assistance to UNHCR for the refugee emergency in Europe, including for its operations in Greece. The United States will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate efforts with those of the EU and affected countries, supporting efforts to respond to this challenging situation in a way that respects the human rights and humanitarian needs of refugees and migrants.

Deputy Secretary Higginbottom will then proceed to Geneva, where on March 30 she will head the U.S. delegation to the UNHCR-hosted meeting on Global Responsibility Sharing through Pathways for Admission of Syrian Refugees. She will meet with other delegations to discuss how the United States can work with partners to expand and improve global effort to assist refugees through significant new commitment to increase funding for UN humanitarian appeals, and refugee resettlement, integration, and self-reliance.