BAGHDAD, Iraq — Angelina Jolie has landed in Iraq in an effort to boost efforts to solve the growing number of displaced refugees in the wartorn country.
"There doesn't seem to be a real coherent plan to help them," Jolie told CNN's Arwa Damon Thursday. "There's lots of goodwill. Lots of discussion, but there seems to be a lot of talk at the moment, and a lot of pieces that need to be put together. I'm trying to figure out what they are."
The 32-year-old, who is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, is visiting the country on a U.S. government mission with the State Department to Iraq.
More than 4.2 million Iraqis, 58 percent of which are under the age of 12, have been displaced from their homes. Approximately 2 million of the refugees have moved onto neighboring states, mainly Syria and Jordan. The other 2.2 million are currently displaced within Iraq.
"How Iraq settles in the years to come is going to affect the entire Middle East," Jolie explained. "It's in our best interest to address a humanitarian crisis on this scale because displacement can lead to a lot of instability and aggression."
Jolie has met with the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Iraqi migration officials, the American Embassy tells the Associated Press. She first visited Iraq and Syria last August to gain an understanding of the problem.
The actress is also discussing the U.S. plan to resettle refugees in the United States. A goal has been established to take in 12,000 refugees by September, but so far only 375 have been admitted.
"I have to believe there are people working toward that goal," she said.
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