Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN859
2009-04-13 09:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

REFCOORD REPORTING FORM RESPONSE JORDAN, SYRIA, AND LEBANON

Tags:  PREF EAID UNHCR IZ JO SY LE 
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #0859/01 1030914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130914Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4845
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0711
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3037
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 4139
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 6222
UNCLAS AMMAN 000859 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/ANE, AND NEA/ELA, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID UNHCR IZ JO SY LE
SUBJECT: REFCOORD REPORTING FORM RESPONSE JORDAN, SYRIA, AND LEBANON
PART 1 OF 2

REF: STATE 12654
UNCLAS AMMAN 000859

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/ANE, AND NEA/ELA, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID UNHCR IZ JO SY LE
SUBJECT: REFCOORD REPORTING FORM RESPONSE JORDAN, SYRIA, AND LEBANON
PART 1 OF 2

REF: STATE 12654

1. (SBU) Summary: Reftel tasked RefCoords to open a dialogue with
UNHCR in the field as they prepare their biannual program/budget
planning document, the Country Operational Plan (COP). Initial
conversations with UNHCR Country representatives and staff in
Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon on the COP revealed common planning
areas, challenges, and approaches. UNHCR offices in Jordan, Syria,
and Lebanon share a caseload and a political context for their work
in the three countries. The three offices worked closely in
developing the 2009 Combined Appeals Process budget documents and
will continue that cooperation for the 2010-2011 COPs. Budgets in
Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria reflect the results of local analysis of
both the needs of registered Iraqi refugees and the cost of
providing assistance in the region. Protection is a challenge in
all three countries, as Iraqis do not enjoy host government
recognition as refugees. The offices also completed joint training
on management initiatives and planning software. This regional
approach is good preparation for the cooperation that would be
critical during the eventual repatriation of Iraqis from the three
countries. End Summary.
BUDGET
--------------

2. (SBU) The 2009 budget for UNHCR Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon was
governed by the Combined Appeals Process, which formed the basis for
the overall UN Iraq appeal in 2009. The process led by the UN
Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) created a
two-pillar appeal based on input from a needs assessment from all UN
organizations working on Iraqi Displacement. Pillar I was an appeal
for activities inside Iraq, and Pillar II was for operations outside
Iraq. UNHCR local offices are following up with donors regionally.
However all current budgeting is done through the 2009 CAP process.
Looking forward to 2010-2011, UNHCR Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon share
key assumptions: that a stable number of vulnerable Iraqis will
continue to need assistance, that Iraqis are unlikely to return in
large numbers given continued security concerns, and that UNHCR will
maintain a policy based on the notion that conditions inside Iraqi
are not suitable to support large scale refugee returns.

PROTECTION
--------------


3. (SBU) All three UNHCR offices planned to use diplomatic efforts
to encourage host countries to adhere to the 1951 Convention on the
Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocols. None of the hosting
countries have signed the accords, and they are unlikely to do so in
the near term. Given the political difficulties of this goal, UNHCR
has planned to increase protection efforts for the most vulnerable
Iraqis. UNHCR in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon will be looking at
special protection needs of women who head households in the coming
years. The growing number of adolescents out of school will require
attention, including obtaining access to higher education for
qualified and vulnerable youth. The UNHCR offices hope to expand
rights granted to Iraqis in the three countries so that they can
work legally and attend professional/vocational training programs
designed to ease their repatriation.

REFUGEE REGISTRATION
--------------


4. (SBU) Refugee registration in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon is
current and regularly updated. Registration gives refuges access to
food and cash distributions, as well as medical services. In Syria
and Jordan, UNHCR completed a verification exercise in February 2009
which resulted in the elimination of 2000 names from the
registration roster in Syria. Project Profile, the refugee
registration and data collection project, is used in all three
countries but is not used by the host governments. UNHCR documents
provide some measure of basic protection for refugees. Law
enforcement officials recognize UNHCR as responsible for Iraqis in
the three countries. Protection officers work closely with host
governments to educate law enforcement and judicial authorities as
to refugee rights. In Jordan, UNHCR conducted well-attended
workshops for police and internal security officers on refugee
protection. The workshops were too recent at the time of the report
to have shown results. However the governments' willingness to
participate in training was an indicator of positive relations
between the governments and UNHCR.
COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT--PARTICIPATORY PLANNING
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) UNHCR in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon designed the COP
process in a way that allowed for the participation of all
interested parties. Coordination and information sharing meetings
included the members of the UN country team, implementing and
operational partners, and interested humanitarian organizations. In

Syria, the host government, although invited, did not fully
participate in the COP process. Security authorities within the

SARG also discouraged Iraqi participation in UNHCR planning
activities. However, the semi-independent Syrian Arab Red Crescent
took part in UNHCR planning and training workshops. In Lebanon,
only the local Ministry of Health and General Intelligence Service
represented the host government at UNHCR planning meetings. UNHCR
Jordan invited the Ministries of Education, Health, and Planning and
International Cooperation to take part in the COP planning meetings.
Government attendance at meetings was infrequent.


6. (SBU) UNHCR staff is trained on the use of UNHCR's new
budget/planning software FOCUS. The staff of all three offices
attended a three-day seminar on FOCUS in Jordan in March 2009. All
three country directors and their protection, program and
operational staff attended the sessions. Responsible staff said
they believed FOCUS would effectively assist them in developing a
needs assessment that can influence budget requests. UNHCR program
officers praised focus and said the software would ease accounting
and management decision-making by linking requests for resources
directly to the identified needs of programs.


7. (SBU) UNHCR country offices use a combination of tools to inform
donors and partners of unmet needs. UNHCR field offices hold
regular donor briefings during which the current budget is reviewed
with an eye to identifying unfunded activities. Partners take part
in regular sector working groups, which feed into the needs
assessment process. Iraqis are underrepresented in these meetings,
and Iraqi views are only expressed through international NGOs.


8. (U) Recommendations: In future COP processes, UNHCR should find
a locally acceptable method to ensure that Iraqi voices are heard,
either through partners or through direct Iraqi participation in
planning meetings.


9. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassies Beirut and Damascus

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