Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves CEO Radha Muthiah Welcomes New UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
Washington, DC (January 11, 2015) – Following the election by the UN General Assembly to appoint Filippo Grandi as the next head of the UN Refugee Agency, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Chief Executive Officer Radha Muthiah issued the following statement:
“I am delighted that Filippo Grandi has been appointed as the new High Commissioner for Refugees at UNHCR, and look forward to working closely with him to improve energy access for the nearly 60 million refugees currently displaced from their countries due to violent conflict.
“With so many humanitarian crises happening in the world, it’s now more important than ever that we work together. Energy access is a crucial and lifesaving need for the health, protection, wellbeing and livelihoods of refugees all over the world. It’s required for some of life’s most basic activities, such as cooking food for your children or heating your family’s home.
“For many years, the Alliance and UNHCR have been working together to increase access to cookstoves and fuels for refugee households that are dependent on firewood collection and three-stone fires for cooking their families’ daily meals.
“We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with UNHCR with High Commissioner Grandi at the helm. Together, we can improve access to energy for the millions of refugees, and other displaced people suffering the effects of violent conflict and disaster.”