UNHCR FORUM: ONE BRIDGE, ONE DEAD END

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001287

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF SMIG UNHCR
SUBJECT: UNHCR FORUM: ONE BRIDGE, ONE DEAD END


1. (U) Summary: The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees'
Forum (UNHCR/Forum) met May 20, with Deputy High
Commissioner Kamel Morjane and Director of International
Protection Erika Feller on the podium for an all-day session
attended by approximately one hundred representatives from
Geneva missions, capitals, and NGOs. While the Forum has
generated a concrete approach to bridging the relief to
development gap, its efforts to navigate the asylum-migration
nexus appear to have reached an impasse. The USG has long
advocated mainstreaming the Forum's work and concluding the
Convention Plus Process in 2005. In order to do so, however,
it may be necessary to persuade UNHCR to redirect or abort
the discussions on Irregular Secondary Movements. End summary.


2. (U) Morjane made extensive and detailed opening remarks on
the objectives of the forum (strengthening protection and
finding durable solutions for refugees) and the need to look
at related issues (migration, development, security).
Denmark and Japan said that their work on Targeted
Development Assistance (TDA) was ready to be "mainstreamed,
but not dropped" and cited their field-based implementation
of the concept (Japan is working with Ethiopia while Denmark
is working with Uganda). The World Bank Representative in
Geneva provided background on the country-specific Poverty
Reduction Strategy Process, which the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund approved five years ago. It is
now being used in 45 developing states and being adopted in
12 more. Representatives of eight developing states spoke
favorably about TDA, but Pakistan stated that while it is
"logical" in repatriations, it is not an acceptable concept
for development programs or refugees in countries of asylum.



3. (U) Targeted Development Assistance provides concrete
guidance on how to bridge the relief to development gap. It
has studied Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) which
are prepared by developing-state governments in consultation
with international and bilateral donors. While some states
include their returning populations in PRSPs, host states
rarely include refugees in PRSPs, and many in fact refer to
refugees as a drain, rather than a contributor, to regional
development. Since PRSPs are prepared at the national level,
refugee advocates, including UNHCR representatives, NGOs and
bilateral missions need to work at the local level to include
targeted development assistance for refugee-impacted areas in
the PRSPs. Host states and donors may become more interested
in the TDA approach as it is endorsed not only by UNHCR but
also by the World Bank, IMF and UNDP.


4. (SBU) Nonetheless, several developing states, including
Pakistan and some African representatives, regard TDA with
suspicion, and express the belief that it is a stalking horse
for burden-shifting, i.e., is a mechanism for unwanted local
integration which would, in the process, reduce humanitarian
funds while siphoning off money which would otherwise be
available for the host population. These states are not
persuaded that TDA will bring additionality, and have asked
for further discussions on the "Best Practices" document.
Denmark and Japan, as facilitating states, see the
Geneva-based process as concluded, and, like UNHCR, are more
interested in applying the practice in the field than in
leading a recurrent debate. UNHCR realizes, however, that
the unpersuaded states still need an outlet for their
questions and concerns, if only an ad-hoc discussion group.


5. (SBU) TDA, like resettlement, is presented as an option
which some states may find useful in pursuing improved
protection and durable solutions for refugees. However, it
is not for everyone. While self-reliance programs may not be
cost-effective for refugee populations hosted in isolated,
harsh areas (such as north African deserts),they can be
extremely effective when host government policy permits
refugees to avail themselves of arable land or benefit from
other favorable circumstances. Similarly, refugee
contributions to development in the host community are
consistently linked to host government polices: when they are
allowed to work, the positive effect of refugees on local
economies is strong, and easily outpaces the humanitarian
inputs and infrastructure projects which are otherwise the
only inputs a host population may see, and which will end
when the refugees depart. Host countries that have come to
understand this, such as Zambia and Uganda, are already
implementing TDA programs. Those states that restrict or
forbid refugee employment, such as Tanzania, see little or no
positive impact of the refugee presence.


6. (U) Erika Feller led UNHCR presentations and plenary
discussion on Irregular Secondary Movements (ISM) and gave an
update on the Strategic Use of Resettlement. She reported
that the Resettlement framework completed last year calls for
building new programs in additional states, which is
progressing in Latin America. In addition, referral of
groups for resettlement is underway, although thus far none
has been identified for a "Comprehensive Plan of Action."


7. (SBU) Irregular Secondary Movement, however, continued to
generate heated debate. NGO representatives and Mexico
renewed demands that the Forum discuss ISM only in terms of
protection and remove paragraphs on returns or re-admissions,
which they regard as migration management and law enforcement
issues beyond UNHCR's mandate. In addition, the NGO
statement insisted that UNHCR must present an explicit
definition of its core concept, protection, as a first step
in preparing a framework of understanding on ISM.


8. (SBU) UNHCR has long argued that the role of the Forum,
and of the ISM strand, is to help find durable solutions for
specific groups of refugees; it does not have a mandate to
define protection - a task which UNHCR and many states
clearly believe would be nearly impossible to complete in
today's climate. Rather than invest the time and resources
in debate, Feller advocated development of a balanced
document which identifies the reasons for irregular secondary
movements as largely protection-based, and proposes a
framework of understanding for addressing those reasons. The
balance, she argues, would require an acknowledgment that
when protection is not the reason for irregular secondary
movements, states would rightfully pursue return and
re-admission processes. The advocacy groups argue, however,
that protection must be defined and its standards met before
any process for return or re-admission can be contemplated.


9. (SBU) The debate has led ISM into a process of lengthy
drafting sessions dominated by a few spokespersons.
According to one participant, a two-day drafting session in
May resulted in a document (initially drafted by South Africa
and Switzerland) "entirely in brackets." Three more drafting
sessions (each two days) have already been scheduled as the
facilitators press to meet their fall 2005 deadline for
completion of the Framework. UNHCR, South Africa, and
Switzerland have a vested interest in developing solutions
for irregular secondary movements. Nonetheless, although they
are not in a position to simply walk away from the process,
their chances for successfully accommodating all positions at
this point appear minimal. As language becomes more
specific, other participants are increasingly pressed into a
corner where they may be forced to take sides; many states
are loathe to continue a process which is likely to polarize
and alienate the participants and, ultimately, fail.


10. (SBU) Comment: Morjane and Feller, along with Acting
High Commissioner Chamberlin, have renewed their personal
commitments to the Forum/Convention Plus process on several
occasions since the resignation of its architect, former High
Commissioner Ruud Lubbers. Morjane stated, however, that a
number of options for the future are being prepared for
decision by the new High Commissioner. Declaring a
successful conclusion to the Resettlement and TDA strands
could be justified; however, devising an exit strategy from
the ISM process would appear the more important task at hand.
End comment.
Moley