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