Standing Committee of the Executive Committee
of the High Commissioner's Programme (30th Meeting)
29 June - 1 July 2004

NGO Statement on the
Progress Report on Resettlement
Agenda Item 4 (ii)

Mr. Chairman.

This statement has been drafted in consultation with a wide range of NGOs and is delivered on behalf of NGOs.

The UNHCR's Progress Report on Resettlement rightly underlines the central role of resettlement as a tool of international protection and a durable solution. When so many refugees are unprotected or remain for years without a durable solution, the need for resettlement is great. Unfortunately, neither the offers of resettlement, nor the capacity of the UNHCR to refer refugees for resettlement, match the refugees' needs. Governments would demonstrate a greater commitment to resettlement by increasing their offers of resettlement, and by ensuring that adequate resources are dedicated to processing and to integration programmes.

The UNHCR's Projected Global Resettlement Needs is undoubtedly a useful planning document, but it may well not provide an accurate picture of the numbers of refugees needing resettlement. We are concerned that far greater numbers of refugees lack protection or access to any other durable solution. The document's small numbers, we believe, reflect the UNHCR's limited capacity to process refugees for resettlement, or even identify the needs, as well as the limited willingness of states, including wealthy states, to resettle more refugees. We encourage UNHCR to put together needs based - as opposed to capacity based - resettlement projections for 2005. Currently, the projected global resettlement needs for 2005 represent less than 0.3% of refugees worldwide. For instance we are distressed that UNHCR believes that only 17,000 out of three million refugees require resettlement in Africa. These low figures seem to be in contradiction with the High Commissioner's interest in resettlement and the current push for more countries to become involved in resettlement programmes.

A further concern relates to the need for attention to be paid to the search for durable solutions without compromising commitments to international protection. We welcome the UNHCR's undertaking to continue to treat as a top priority resettlement referrals for refugees in need of protection. Nevertheless it is not clear how this undertaking will be met when UNHCR offices already lacking the capacity to refer the numbers of refugees identified as needing resettlement are in addition expected to assist with the processing of refugee groups in their region (whose numbers are not even included in the projections). While the resettlement of groups of refugees is certainly to be welcomed, it must not be at the expense of the resettlement of individual refugees in need of protection. The UNHCR and resettlement countries must also be attentive to the needs of "lost populations": small numbers of refugees out of the public eye have needs that are just as important as larger, more prominent groups. More efficient planning and management of resettlement are of course worthwhile, but increased numbers must not be achieved at the expense of the ability to respond to individual needs.

With respect to integration, we note the importance of successful integration programmes. Resettlement cannot be said to offer refugees a durable solution unless they have the means to participate fully in their new home. Nor can resettlement programmes be durable without successful long-term integration. We continue to urge as a priority the strengthening of resettlement countries' capacity. The evaluation of Benin and Burkina Faso provides a number of useful lessons learned and offers some helpful general principles that should be considered by new resettlement countries.

The UNHCR's commitment to sustaining the integrity of resettlement programmes is important and we will be following with interest the follow up to the consultant's work on an action plan. We emphasize the importance of involving refugees, who ultimately bear the brunt of fraud and corruption, in the design, implementation and monitoring of measures.

Recent discussions relating to resettlement, including in the context of Convention Plus, have drawn attention to the fact that resettlement does not concern only UNHCR, resettlement countries and, of course, the refugees themselves. It is important also to acknowledge the role of countries of first asylum in facilitating the processing and departure of refugees to countries of resettlement. Unfortunately, this cooperation is not universally forthcoming: states should be encouraged to recognize the principle of resettlement and assist in any efforts to offer refugees a The UNHCR's Projected Global Resettlement Needs is undoubtedly a useful planning document, but it may well not provide an accurate picture of the new home.

A number of countries are showing a welcome new interest in becoming countries of resettlement. We may hope that in the coming years many more countries will prove their commitment to resettlement by launching resettlement programmes and thus offer refugees protection and a permanent home. The "traditional" resettlement countries have an important role to play in demonstrating the necessary elements for a viable resettlement programme.

We welcome the European Commission's proposal for the establishment of an EU resettlement scheme, which would demonstrate Europe's commitment to the international protection regime and the principle of burden- and responsibility-sharing. In so doing, it would provide protection to the most vulnerable refugees, a durable solution to those in protracted situations, and help foster public support for refugees.

It is crucial, however, that it be acknowledged that offers of resettlement cannot be tied to asylum, which will always remain a fundamental obligation of states. The provision of resettlement must be clearly understood to be a response to the needs of refugees that is distinct from - and in no way reduces - a state's duties to protect asylum-seekers.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the co-chairs of the Core Group on the Strategic Use of Resettlement, Canada and UNHCR, for their willingness to involve NGOs in the work of the Group. A substantial number of NGO suggestions have been accepted into the Multilateral Framework of Understandings. We stand ready to be further involved in the pilot phase of this strand of Convention Plus.

Finally, we reiterate NGOs' commitment to cooperate actively with UNHCR and existing, as well as future, resettlement countries in implementing resettlement programmes including in the identification and processing of vulnerable cases and groups as well as in the integration of resettled refugees.

Thank you.