* Again, for your information and input BEFORE 23 JUNE 2003 * * Please forward this message to other NGOs that might be interested in contributing to the NGO interventions at either meeting * * apologies for cross-posting *

From: ICVA Secretariat
Date: 18 June 2003

RE: UPDATE #2 ON THE FORUM'S PROGRAMME OF WORK AND THE _revised_ AGENDA OF UNHCR'S STANDING COMMITTEE

CONTENTS:

1. Forum/Convention Plus - what will be discussed and NGO interventions
2. Consultation with NGOs on the High Commissioner's Forum: Wed 25 June @ 9:00am Rooom XXIII, Palais des Nations
3. Revised Standing Committee agenda - a new item on Resettlement, update on NGO statements, and suggestions from UNHCR
4. Contact information for ICVA Secretariat during Standing Committee and the Forum

Dear NGO Colleagues,

Further to the message that we sent out on 16 June 2003, we would like to inform you of a few recent developments to facilitate your input to the NGO statements/interventions to, and particiatipation in, these two events.

Documents:
Please note that the documents related to the Forum should be sent out by UNHCR today, as should a revised agenda for the Standing Committee, but we have not yet received them. Several of the documents related to Standing Committee have been posted on UNHCR's Prexcom site (www.unhcr.ch/prexcom).

1. FORUM/CONVENTION PLUS

Following an informal lunch with the Deputy Director of the Department of International Protection, Wilbert van Hovell, and Jean-Francois Durieux of the (still evolving) Convention Plus Unit, we have more details of what will come up at the Forum. The meeting will be chaired by the High Commissioner. He will welcome participants, along with the Chair of EXCOM, and will set the tone of the Forum and the whole Convention Plus initiative. He will likely refer to past comprehensive plans, which could, as J-F. Durieux put it, be considered to be "pilots" of Convention Plus before the phrase was used. The HC will also likely make reference to current situations and operations where a comprehensive plan could be possible. There is to be a background document listing some of these situations made available.

-There are two substantive items on the agenda - one being well-defined and the other being quite wide open:

1. A discussion on resettlement, which will be facilitated by CANADA and for which a background document has been prepared. Canada was the first State to volunteer to facilitate a discussion under the Convention Plus idea. The aim is to advance the substance of the discussion and to enlarge the debate on resettlement to more countries. There are some 12 countries that have expressed interest (about half Northern-based, half Southern-based) that have expressed an interest into entering into an eventual negotiation. The paper presented by Canada is meant to kick-start a discussion at the Forum, which will then move into more restricted negotiations [see further below on NGO access to negotations].

2. The second agenda item is meant for States to offer themselves up as facilitators and to invite other States to discuss a particular issue. There are two countries that will most likely be making such offers at the meeting:
-DENMARK will MOST likely come forward with the issue of "the targeting of development aid to achieve durable solutions". They want support from both donor countries, as well as refugee-hosting countries in order to ensure that the debate can be moved forward. The hope is that up to 10 countries will take the floor in support of this initiative.
-SWITZERLAND WILL come forward on the issue of "secondary movements of refugees and asylum-seekers" and will present some suggestions on how to explore the idea further.
-Other States may come forward, but there is the feeling, from UNHCR's side, that this is unlikely. On the question as to whether or not the UK Proposal would be presented, the feeling was that it would most likely NOT be presented at this first meeting of the Forum. Even if it were to be presented, it would most likely be a sugar-coated version. There was also a feeling that the UK proposal should not be allowed to "contatimate" Convention Plus. It was suggested that perhaps the UK proposal and UNHCR's regional prong suggestion might come up under the discussion on secondary movements (although not necessarily at the Forum).

PROCEDURAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE FORUM:
As noted in our previous message, NGO participation is along the lines of the Global Consultations. The invitations have been issued to EXCOM members and Standing Committee observers - into which category many NGOs fall.

The Forum will function without specific rules of procedure: the hope is to have more spontaneous dialogue. As the HC is chairing, it is his "privilege to recognise speakers." There was the assurance from UNHCR that there would be "at least one NGO statement" for the agenda items of the Forum, but that they will discuss the possibility of more NGO statements with the High Commissioner. The question of time management will come into play in determining the number of NGO interventions.

NEGOTIATIONS
Once States come forward as facilitators, the idea is that a smaller group of States, outside the of Forum, enter into negotiations. UNHCR has said that it will encourage NGO participation in the form of expert participation into these negotiations - similar to Track 2 of the Global Consultations. We will keep you posted on further developments in this area. UNHCR's idea is to have the Forum about twice a year with the negotiations being the place where substantial discussions take place and commitments are made by States.

NGO INTERVENTIONS TO THE FORUM
As noted in our previous, ICVA will happily play a facilitative role for NGO statements/interventions to the Forum, as done during the Global Consultations, so as to avoid overlap and to ensure that NGO concerns are included in any statements. As such, it would seem logical to have an NGO intervention on the resettlement discussion, as well as on the proposals by Denmark and/or Switzerland.

If you are interested in drafting/proposing points for these items, please contact the ICVA Secretariat (secretariat@icva.ch).

2. CONSULTATION WITH NGOs ON THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S FORUM

UNHCR will hold a consultation with NGOs attending the Standing Committee, during the days of Standing Committee, on the High Commissioner's Forum. The meeting will be held on
Wednesday 25 June
from 0900 to 1030
in Room XXIII of the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
(same building where Standing Committee will be held).

Jean-Francois Durieux of the Convention Plus should be leading that consultation.

3. STANDING COMMITTEE

Resettlement
UNHCR informed us that a revised agenda was to be sent out today. This revision makes resettlement a separate item on the agenda and the discussion is meant to focus on 'how to use resettlement more strategically?' The hope, from UNHCR's side, is that the discussion will set the scene for the Forum taking place on Friday 27 June.

The fact that resettlement is used as a individual protection tool is a given. Using resettlement as part of a combination of durable solutions, particularly when looking at larger groups, is an area where progress can be made. Some of the issues and questions posed by UNHCR around the resettlement issue include the following (which could be reflected in an NGO statement):

• how can processing be made more efficient?
• HCR would like to see multi-year commitments from States on resettlement
• HCR does need to look at its internal procedures to improve efficiency
• what is necessary on the part of States in order to use resettlement more strategically?
• the issue of resettlement acting as a "pull factor" in some places where people arrive at UNHCR's offices because they know that resettlement is a possibility.

As resettlement is now a separate agenda item, NGOs have the possibility of making an intervention on this item. Even before this was a possibility, Bernadette Cisse of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops offered to take the lead in drafting a statement. Others have also expressed interest in contributing to such a statement, including CCR. Those who are interested in contributing to the resettlement statement, please contact Bernadette at: .

Protection
The Note on International Protection is very much focused on the delivery of protection and which tools are used. There are basically three clusters addressed in the Note:

1. How we (UNHCR) work on the ground - the operational tools
2. Developing law and policy - the legal and policy tools
3. Promoting respect and tolerance - the promotional tools HCR felt that it was quite outspoken in the Note on protection failures....

Implementation of the Agenda for Protection
What was felt to be lacking in the report on implementation of the A4P is what States are doing to implement the Agenda. There is a clause in last year's EXCOM Conclusion directed towards States to report to UNHCR so that it can report to EXCOM on implementation of the A4P.

*Some issues that UNHCR highlighted as ones that they felt would be helpful if raised by NGOs:*

• importance of a protection presence on the ground and the importance of sufficient protection staff; the pressure that funding cuts are putting on protection posts;
• support for resettlement and support for its use as a strategic tool by States; and
• encouraging States to follow-up on the Agenda for Protection and to report back to UNHCR on its implementation.

NGO STATEMENTS:
If you are interested in taking the lead to draft the NGO statement on any of the following agenda items for Standing Committee:

• Programme and Funding (either or both of the sub-items);
• the Note on Intenational Protection; or
• the Implemenation of the Agenda for Protection,

As noted before and above, the lead NGOs in drafting the statements on the following, and their contact information:

• Statelessness: Canadian Council for Refugees, contact: Janet Dench ccr@web.net>
• Resettlement: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, contact: Bernadette Cisse BCisse@usccb.org

If at any time during the Standing Committee or the Forum you would like to get in touch with the ICVA Secretariat (and Manisha, in particular) with regards to NGO statements, interventions, or for another reason, the numbers to call are 022 950 9600 (office) or 079 253 5811 (mobile).

Looking forward to your input and/or seeing you next week,
With best regards,
ICVA Secretariat. ICVA Secretariat International Council of Voluntary Agencies 48, chemin du Grand-Montfleury 1290 Versoix Switzerland Tel: +41 (0) 22 950 9600 Fax: +41 (0) 22 950 9609 e-mail: secretariat@icva.ch www.icva.ch