REPORTING CABLE ON FEBRUARY 24-25 WORKING GROUP ON

UNCLAS GENEVA 000203


PASS TO REFCOORDS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF AS CA EI IC IZ JO NZ PHUM PK PREF PREL
RO, SY, UK
SUBJECT: REPORTING CABLE ON FEBRUARY 24-25 WORKING GROUP ON
RESETTLEMENT MEETING


1. (U) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) and the United Kingdom - current chair - convened a
meeting of the Working Group on Resettlement (WGR) at the
Palais des Nations in Geneva February 24 - 25.
Representatives of 20 governments as well as UNHCR
headquarters and field office staff engaged in resettlement
participated. The United States was represented by Terry
Rusch, PRM Director of Refugee Admissions in the Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration, Department of State;
Jennifer Higgins, Deputy Director of the Refugee Affairs
Division, USCIS in the Department of Homeland Security;
Barbara Day, PRM's Domestic Resettlement Chief; and Melissa
Pitotti of the Office of Refugee and Migration Affairs at the
U.S. Permanent Mission in Geneva.


2. (U) UNHCR updated the group on resettlement
referrals/departures progress in 2008 when it submitted for
consideration over 120,000 refugees to resettlement countries
(a 22 percent increase over 2007. 65,000 refugees referred
by UNHCR departed for resettlement countries in 2008) a 31
percent increase over 2007. The most significant developments
since UNHCR distributed its Global Projected Resettlement
Needs Document in June are: 1) in light of the security
situation in Pakistan, virtually no progress can be made in
utilizing resettlement for the 171,000 Afghans there
identified as in need of resettlement; and 2) UNHCR has
revised downward the 2009 resettlement need for Iraqis from
86,000 to 60-65,000. The global economic crisis is taking its
toll both on UNHCR's ability to continue to increase
referrals and resettlement countries ability to receive and
integrate them. Iceland and Ireland have already had to put
their programs on hold and other governments may need to
reduce their intake.


3. (U) There was discussion of progress in responding to
UNHCR's October "Flash Appeal" to meet the resettlement needs
of vulnerable Palestinians from Iraq currently residing in
difficult circumstances in Al Waleed, Al Tanf and Al Hol
camps. UNHCR's efforts to refer these Palestinians have thus
far resulted in referrals for about half of the original
2,300 to various resettlement countries but another 1,150
places are needed. For countries requiring in-person
interviews, the pace of off-take will depend on the
establishment of workable logistical arrangements. The U.S.
reported that various "platforms" are being explored to
facilitate processing of the several hundred Palestinians
already referred to the U.S. The recent opening of the
Evacuation Transit Center (ETC) in Timisoara, Romania will
allow the transfer of some of the most vulnerable Palestinian
cases in a matter of weeks. UNHCR also reported that other
governments have offered use of their territory for this
purpose on an ad hoc basis.


4. (U) The issue of the integration of resettled refugees
continues to be of interest to many resettlement countries.
Some include "integration potential" in their selection
process. UNHCR's Agenda for Protection "calls upon states to
put in place policies to ensure that resettlement runs in
tandem with a vigorous integration policy. Language training,
education, vocational training, employment, support for
family reunification ) these and many other activities are
the building blocks of integration. And while resettlement is
a way of protecting refugees and a tangible sign of
responsibility-sharing by states, there is no doubt that
refugees also make important contributions to their new
societies." A draft longitudinal survey document to measure
resettlement outcomes was distributed and will be further
discussed at the Annual Tripartite Consultations (ATC)
meeting in June. (In light of the fact that NGOs often play a
significant role in the integration process, a few NGO
representatives were included in the WGR meeting which is
normally limited to governments and UNHCR. Many more NGO
representatives will participate in June.)


5. (U) WGR breakout sessions were devoted to topics
including: the special challenges resettlement countries are
encountering integrating Iraqis; best practices in the
integration of vulnerable groups; assisting refugees to find
employment and contribute to the community; and a discussion
of improvements needed in "twinning" arrangements between
established and emerging resettlement countries.


6. (U) The U.S. hosted the five-country (U.S., Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, U.K.) dinner on February 24. The U.S.
reps briefed on current funding limitations for the UNHCR
Resettlement Initiative that would result in our requiring
UNHCR to meet U.S. referrals targets for each funded location
before resettlement referrals are made to other resettlement
countries. This could result in a significant reduction in
referrals to countries that do not fund UNHCR's referrals
capacity. At the request of various overseas processing
partners, the U.S. also identified areas where delays in
resettlement country decisions on medical cases are causing
extreme hardship for refugees and the protracted delays in
the off-take of approved cases is complicating refugee camp
dynamics. We are providing case specific information to the
countries in question.


7. (U) The Annual Tripartite Consultations (ATC) are
scheduled for June 30 ) July 2 in Geneva.


STORELLA