Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded the 2022 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award.

Named after the Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen, the award is given to an individual, group or organisation who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, internally displaced or stateless people.

Under Dr Merkel’s leadership, Germany welcomed more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers in 2015 and 2016 – at the height of the conflict in Syria and amid deadly violence in other places.

At that time, Dr Merkel said: “It was a situation which put our European values to the test as seldom before. It was no more and no less than a humanitarian imperative”.

And she called on her fellow Germans to reject divisive nationalism and urged them instead to be “self-assured and free, compassionate and open-minded”.

Upon receiving the award, Dr Merkel said the prize was in honour of “the countless people who lent a hand” when large numbers of refugees arrived in Europe in 2015 and 2016.

“In reality, people’s lives happen locally, in cities and communities. And that is why I would like to thank the local politicians and employees in the municipalities in particular, as well as the many volunteers in organisations or those who provide individual assistance,” she said.

In her acceptance speech, Dr Merkel stressed that that she rejected the selfish instincts of some “with cold hearts”, who wanted Germany to be only for Germans.

“What is important is a future for the country to be self-confident and free”, a Germany which “is open to other human beings… and can succeed if we do our best”, she said.

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi praised Dr Merkel’s determination to protect asylum-seekers and to stand up for human rights, humanitarian principles and international law.

“By helping more than a million refugees to survive and rebuild, Angela Merkel displayed great moral and political courage,” Mr Grandi said.

“It was true leadership, appealing to our common humanity, standing firm against those who preached fear and discrimination. She showed what can be achieved when politicians take the right course of action and work to find solutions to the world’s challenges rather than simply shift responsibility to others,” he said.

The selection committee said it was recognising Dr Merkel’s “leadership, courage and compassion in ensuring the protection of hundreds of thousands of desperate people” as well as her efforts to find “viable long-term solutions” for those seeking safety. 

As well as protecting people forced to flee war, persecution and human rights abuses, the former Chancellor was the driving force behind Germany’s collective efforts to receive them and help them integrate into society, through education and training programmes, employment schemes and labour market integration.

She was also key in expanding Germany’s resettlement program, which helped protect tens of thousands of vulnerable refugees.

“And she was also instrumental in ensuring Germany’s growth as a substantive, reliable and active humanitarian partner, including in refugee operations around the world,” the committee said.

“Both her policies and her public statements were positive forces in European and global debates on issues of asylum and the management of crises of forced displacement,” it said.

Four regional winners were also honoured.

The winner for Africa, was all-volunteer refugee firefighting group from Mauritania, the Mbera Fire Brigade, which has extinguished more than 100 bushfires and planted thousands of trees to preserve lives, livelihoods and the environment.

For the Americas, Vicenta González was honoured for nearly 50 years of service to displaced and other vulnerable people, including a cacao cooperative in Costa Rica which has supported refugees and host-community women, including domestic violence survivors.

In the Asia/Pacific, the humanitarian organisation Meikswe Myanmar was awarded for its work assisting communities in need, including internally displaced people, with emergency items, healthcare, education, and livelihood support.

For the Middle East and North Africa, Iraqi gynaecologist Nagham Hasan was awarded for providing medical and psychosocial care to Yazidi girls and women who survived persecution, enslavement and gender-based violence.