Angela Merkel, the former German chancellor, has been awarded the coveted Nansen Refugee Award by the United Nations refugee agency for her efforts to protect asylum seekers while in office.

The UNHCR selection committee praised Merkel's "leadership, courage, and compassion" on Tuesday, citing Germany's acceptance of more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers in 2015 and 2016, during the height of a migrant crisis sparked by the Syrian civil conflict.

At the time, the lady who led the German government for sixteen years stated that the event "tested our European values like never before." It was nothing less than a humanitarian need."

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel's resolve to safeguard asylum seekers and defend human rights, humanitarian values, and international law.

Angela Merkel exhibited remarkable moral and political fortitude by assisting more than a million refugees to survive and rebuild, according to his statement.

He stated, "This was true leadership, appealing to our shared humanity while standing firm against those who preached fear and discrimination."

She demonstrated what can be accomplished when politicians choose the correct course of action and seek to find answers to the world's problems, as opposed to merely shifting blame to others.

In addition to protecting refugees forced to flee war, the selection committee emphasized that Merkel was the driving force behind Germany's joint efforts to receive them and help them integrate into society.

The Nansen Prize was established in 1954 to honor the first UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Norwegian Arctic explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen, and to recognize exceptional service on behalf of refugees.

Merkel will receive her award and $150,000 in prizemoney during a ceremony on October 10 in Geneva, along with four other regional winners.