UNHCR HIGH COMMISSIONER GUTERRES BRIEFS THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000015 SIPDIS USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF SUBJECT: UNHCR HIGH COMMISSIONER GUTERRES BRIEFS THE SECURITY COUNCIL SUMMARY ¶1. Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),briefed the Security Council on January 8, 2009 on refugee and broader displacement issues as they relate to threats to international peace and security. In his speech, the High Commissioner reported that the number of refugees in the world had increased since his last appearance before the Council in 2006, primarily due to the situations in Iraq and Somalia. The number of conflict-induced internally displaced persons also grew and now stands at 26 million. Guterres highlighted a series of inter-linked conflicts in Asia, the Middle East and Africa that produce significant numbers of displaced and refugees leading to instability. He remarked that in many cases contemporary displacement stems not only from conflict, but from climate change, extreme poverty and poor governance. UNHCR views the following as major challenges: the protection of civilians under peacekeeping operations where there is no peace to keep, the safety and security of humanitarian staff, and the preservation of humanitarian space in the context of integrated UN missions. The High Commissioner expressed concern for the plight of Palesinians caught up in the current fighting in Gaza as they cannot flee Gaza to safety elsewhere. Guterres concluded his brief by highlighting the importance of prevention, especially as a component of the "responsibility to protect" concept, in addressing the threats posed by large scale displacement. A number of Council members encouraged UNHCR to make more regular appearances to brief on the state of refugees and displacement. Mr. Guterres stated that dialogue with the Security Council remains a priority for UNHCR. End summary. DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS AND TRENDS ¶2. UNHCR's High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres, made his second appearance before the Security Council since assuming office in 2005. He began by recollecting that during his first brief to the Council in January 2006 the number of refugees worldwide was at its lowest level in nearly a quarter of a century, but that in the intervening two years the total number of refugees had grown to over 11 million, primarily due to the situations in Iraq and Somalia. Likewise, the number of persons internally displaced by conflict had grown to more than 26 million. The number of people considered stateless is estimated to be 3 million but could run as high as 12 million. ¶3. In his brief to the Council, Guterres categorized two groups of conflicts. The first includes a number of countries stretching from South and Southwest Asia, through the Middle East to Sudan and Chad, and into the Horn of Africa. He sees these conflicts as inter-related and notes that they pose a threat to global peace and security. The second type do not create concerns regarding international peace and security and draw less attention as their impact is generally confined to the country in question or perhaps the region. Guterres cited problems in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo as examples of displacement crises that garner less attention than they deserve. ¶4. The High Commissioner told the Council that the causes behind displacement are becoming more complex. He explained that aid agencies understand the relationship between armed conflict and displacement, but do not fully grasp the links between displacement and other causes including climate change, extreme poverty and poor governance. Guterres said that although UNHCR does not seek to expand its mandate, he believes that the organization should promote discussion about the new forms of forced displacement. CHALLENGES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY USUN NEW Y 00000015 002 OF 003 ¶5. Guterres described three particular challenges facing the international community in responding to humanitarian crises and noted that all relate to the work of the Security Council and UNHCR. First, the protection of civilians is a high priority for UNHCR and its partners in the field of humanitarian assistance. He noted that many peacekeeping operations exist in an environment where there is no peace to keep and the threats to civilians remain significant. Acknowledging UNHCR's limited capacity to provide security for refugees, he spoke of the important role that can be played by peacekeepers in ensuring the security of refugee camps. He welcomed the role of MINURCAT in eastern Chad and the decision of the Council to reinforce MONUC's capacity and role in the protection of civilians. In the context of environments where conflict continues, he called for the creation of peacekeeping forces that have clear and strong mandates for the protection of civilians as well as sufficient political and military support to carry out the mission to protect civilians. ¶6. Seeing increases in the deliberate targeting of humanitarian aid workers, Guterres spoke to the Council of the need to ensure the safety and security of UN and NGO staff involved in relief operations. Violence against humanitarian staff imperils continued relief operations in a number of locations including Somalia. Safety, however, is not only a product of physical protection, but must include efforts to change the perception of local populations towards international aid agencies. ¶7. The third challenge relates to the tension between UN humanitarian agencies and broader UN efforts under the umbrella of integrated UN missions. In countries still gripped by conflict, aid agencies need to preserve their "humanitarian space" by keeping some distance from the political agenda of UN missions. The UN aid agencies and NGOs are able to operate in hostile environments, in large part, due to their respect for the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality. If their work is overly influenced by the political agenda of a UN mission, it may lead to the perception that UN humanitarian agencies are no longer neutral in the context of a conflict, and one party or more to a conflict may deny the UN humanitarian agencies access to populations in need or even target them for violence. He called upon the Council to support flexible arrangements that allow UN humanitarian agencies to maintain some degree of operational separation from UN missions, if necessary, while maintaining strategic coherence within the UN system. GAZA ¶8. The High Commissioner briefly touched upon the situation in Gaza even though UNHCR is not present in the occupied Palestinian territories. He noted that UNRWA has the mandate to care for Palestinian refugees, but nevertheless expressed his concern that the civilian population in Gaza is not allowed to flee to safety elsewhere in response to the current conflict. ¶9. A number of Council members made remarks about the current situation in Gaza. Costa Rica viewed the displacement of Gazans as a failure of the international community and the Security Council. Turkey labeled events in Gaza as tragic and unacceptable, and called for Security Council action. The U.K. called for immediate humanitarian access in accordance with international humanitarian law. Vietnam focused on the need for a greater humanitarian response to the crisis in Gaza. The Russian Federation mentioned Gaza in the context of seeking long-term solutions in reference to the plight of Palestinian refugees. Croatia noted the importance of opening USUN NEW Y 00000015 003 OF 003 humanitarian corridors in Gaza. ¶10. Libya launched into a long discourse on the history of the suffering of refugees in Gaza and lashed out at Israel for violating international law. Libya accused Israel of creating a situation where the people of Gaza have no other option than to die in a holocaust from which they cannot flee. FINAL POINTS ¶11. Guterres spoke about the linkage between refugees and other displaced populations and peacebuilding processes. He reminded the Council of the importance of resolving land and property issues for displaced persons in order to support durable peace. He also suggested that refugees, internally displaced and returnees should be given a role in peacemaking and peacebuilding processes as has been the case with Sudanese refugees in Chadian peace discussions. ¶12. UNHCR believes the most effective means of addressing the issue of forced displacement is by means of preventive activities. In this light, Guterres voiced support for the prevention pillar of the "responsibility to protect" concept that focuses on capacity building in areas such as human rights, governance, judicial reform and policing in order to give states the means to avoid conflict that leads to displacement. ¶13. Members of the Council responded positively to the brief delivered by Guterres. A number of countries including France, Costa Rica, Croatia, the UK, and Mexico called for UNHCR to brief the Security Council on a more regular basis. Guterres responded he would be willing to appear as often as requested and that keeping the Council informed on the situation of refugees and forced displacement is a priority for UNHCR. ¶14. Ambassador T. Vance McMahan delivered the U.S. statement at the Guterres brief. Amb. McMahan noted USG concern over conflicts that lead to displacement and the widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence in many situations. He also pointed to the importance of humanitarian space within the context of integrated UN missions when conflict remains a part of the landscape. He noted the continued strong USG support for UNHCR and its mission and called upon member states to demonstrate the necessary political and financial commitment to allow UNHCR and other aid agencies to assist populations in need of humanitarian assistance. On the topic of Gaza, he remarked that attention must be paid to the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza and that Israel has taken steps to ensure the delivery of assistance. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED Khalilzad