CCRCCREdmonton, 24 May 2007Edmonton, 24 May 2007

Mr Vincent Cochetel Mr Vincent Cochetel Department of International ProtectionDepartment of International Protection

UNHCR, GenevaUNHCR, Geneva

UNHCRUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

I- I- Basic Facts about UNHCR and Basic Facts about UNHCR and Resettlement ActivitiesResettlement Activities

II-II- Canada’s contribution to Resettlement Canada’s contribution to Resettlement ActivitiesActivities

III-III- Global Trends & Challenges for UNHCRGlobal Trends & Challenges for UNHCR

Who are the 20.8 million people falling under Who are the 20.8 million people falling under competence UNHCR’s competence?competence UNHCR’s competence?

Stateless people

4,032,000, 19%

Returnees, 1,100,000, 5%Internally

displaced persons,

6,600,000, 32%

Asylum seekers,

668,000, 3%Refugees,

8,400,000, 41%

Refugee population 8.4 millionsRefugee population 8.4 millionsDistribution by area in June 2006 Distribution by area in June 2006

Asia & the Pacific

825,600, 10%

Africa, 2,571,500, 31%

Europe, 1,965,800, 23%

Americas 564,300, 7%

CASWANAME, 2,467,300, 29%

Durable Solutions for Durable Solutions for RefugeesRefugees

Facilitation/Promotion of Voluntary Facilitation/Promotion of Voluntary RepatriationRepatriation

Facilitation/Promotion of Local IntegrationFacilitation/Promotion of Local Integration

Promotion of ResettlementPromotion of Resettlement

The objectives of The objectives of ResettlementResettlement

To save/rescue individuals/families with To save/rescue individuals/families with specific protection needsspecific protection needs

To activate this durable solution in absence or To activate this durable solution in absence or in parallel with other durable solutionsin parallel with other durable solutions

As an element of burden/responsibility-sharingAs an element of burden/responsibility-sharing

To create protection dividends for refugees To create protection dividends for refugees who are not going to be resettledwho are not going to be resettled

Resettlement Resettlement SubmissionsSubmissions

Submissions by dossierSubmissions by dossier

Submission during selection missionsSubmission during selection missions

RESETTLEMENT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES

(“current resettlement activities”):(“current resettlement activities”): 81,730 81,730

USA : USA : 50,000 50,000 CANADA: CANADA: 12,000 12,000 AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIA: 13,000 13,000 (9) EUROPEAN COUNTRIES:(9) EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: 5,550 5,550 NEW ZEALAND:NEW ZEALAND: 750 750 (5) LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES:(5) LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES: 430 430

Total needs for resettlement in 2007:Total needs for resettlement in 2007:

53,100 refugees (individual submissions) 53,100 refugees (individual submissions)

24,000 refugees (submissions of groups)24,000 refugees (submissions of groups)

TotalTotal: : 77,10077,100 refugees refugees

= = 0.9 %0.9 % of the refugees world population of the refugees world population

UNHCR ESTIMATE CAPACITY AS REGARDSUNHCR ESTIMATE CAPACITY AS REGARDS

SUBMISSIONS:SUBMISSIONS:

Approximately: Approximately: 50,00050,000 refugees refugees

2006 Resettlement Departuresby Criteria of Submission

Refugees without Local Integration

Prospects38%

Legal and Physical Protection Needs

50%

Survivor ofViolence and

Torture5%

Child & Adolescent, 0%

Medical2%

Family Reunion1%

Women at Risk7%

Canada’s contribution to Canada’s contribution to Resettlement ActivitiesResettlement Activities

One of the “big three” resettlement countries in One of the “big three” resettlement countries in the worldthe world

A resettlement programme sensitive to A resettlement programme sensitive to protection concerns/priorities (e.g. Palestinian protection concerns/priorities (e.g. Palestinian refugees in Jordan)refugees in Jordan)

Canada’s significant support to several Canada’s significant support to several resettlement/protection-related programmesresettlement/protection-related programmes

A refugee resettlement program usefully A refugee resettlement program usefully complemented by the Private Sponsorship complemented by the Private Sponsorship Program (PSR)Program (PSR)

Canada’s readiness to use resettlement for Canada’s readiness to use resettlement for protracted refugee situations (e.g. Bhutanese protracted refugee situations (e.g. Bhutanese refugees in Nepal or Eritrean refugees in refugees in Nepal or Eritrean refugees in Sudan)Sudan)

Canada’s commitment to use resettlement in a Canada’s commitment to use resettlement in a strategic manner (i.e. protection dividends strategic manner (i.e. protection dividends arising out of resettlement activities) (e.g. arising out of resettlement activities) (e.g. support to MPA)support to MPA)

Consistent public supportConsistent public support

Strong involvement of NGOs, volunteers Strong involvement of NGOs, volunteers and local/central authoritiesand local/central authorities

Improved predictability in referrals in Improved predictability in referrals in 2005-20062005-2006

Global trendsGlobal trends

Impact of new anti-terrorist legislation (admission, Impact of new anti-terrorist legislation (admission, security screening, delays in departure…) security screening, delays in departure…)

Excessive use of a criteria of “local integration Excessive use of a criteria of “local integration potential” by certain countries of resettlement potential” by certain countries of resettlement

Increase in the emergency resettlement requests Increase in the emergency resettlement requests because of the deterioration of the situation in because of the deterioration of the situation in certain countries of first asylum certain countries of first asylum

Difficulties for resettlement countries of Difficulties for resettlement countries of considering various groups in many countries considering various groups in many countries of first asylum and temptation to turn to a mode of first asylum and temptation to turn to a mode of selection by group, with the risk of limiting of selection by group, with the risk of limiting geographical diversity in in-take. geographical diversity in in-take.

Effective access employment market in several Effective access employment market in several countries of resettlementcountries of resettlement

Challenges for Canada’s Challenges for Canada’s Resettlement ProgrammeResettlement Programme

Ensure better synergies between the Ensure better synergies between the Government-Assisted Refugee Government-Assisted Refugee Resettlement program and a strategic Resettlement program and a strategic use of the Private Sponsorship Programuse of the Private Sponsorship Program

Pilot the use of dossier places and/or Pilot the use of dossier places and/or interviews by remoteinterviews by remote

Improve and shorten the length of Improve and shorten the length of security screening by CBSAsecurity screening by CBSA

Build upon group resettlement Build upon group resettlement experiencesexperiences

Improve the functioning / responsiveness Improve the functioning / responsiveness of the UPPof the UPP

Enhance the role of NGOsEnhance the role of NGOs

in needs identification processin needs identification process

in case preparation and referrals to UNHCRin case preparation and referrals to UNHCR

in verification exercises (group processing)in verification exercises (group processing)

in cultural orientation/language/literacy in cultural orientation/language/literacy courses in countries of asylumcourses in countries of asylum

Challenges for UNHCRChallenges for UNHCR

To improve planning, predictability, coherence To improve planning, predictability, coherence in the resettlement submissions in the resettlement submissions

To make the resettlement accessible To make the resettlement accessible ::

to larger number of refugeesto larger number of refugees,, from more countries of first asylum from more countries of first asylum and towards a broader number of countries of and towards a broader number of countries of

resettlementresettlement

to promote the implementation of durable solutions to promote the implementation of durable solutions strategies in particular for the protracted situations strategies in particular for the protracted situations

Implementation of the conclusion No. 105 of the Implementation of the conclusion No. 105 of the UNHCR Executive Committee on women-at-riskUNHCR Executive Committee on women-at-risk

to document country-by-country benefit resulting to document country-by-country benefit resulting from a strategic use of the resettlement from a strategic use of the resettlement

to give a “human face” to the resettlement to give a “human face” to the resettlement activities as effective way to combat xenophobia activities as effective way to combat xenophobia and to promote this solutionand to promote this solution

To promote harmonized approaches for refugees To promote harmonized approaches for refugees in order to ensure equitable access to this in order to ensure equitable access to this solution and to reduce secondary movements solution and to reduce secondary movements

To establish “temporary transit facilities” for To establish “temporary transit facilities” for refugees having an immediate need for evacuation refugees having an immediate need for evacuation

To broaden the base of resettlement countries in To broaden the base of resettlement countries in Europe and Latin AmericaEurope and Latin America

To draw lessons from the group resettlement and To draw lessons from the group resettlement and other forms of simplification of proceduresother forms of simplification of procedures

To encourage the harmonization of the programs To encourage the harmonization of the programs of cultural orientation before the departure to of cultural orientation before the departure to resettlement countriesresettlement countries

To roll-out UNHCR resettlement anti-fraud To roll-out UNHCR resettlement anti-fraud programprogram

To collect and disseminate “ best practices” To collect and disseminate “ best practices”

To further engage NGOs in the promotion of To further engage NGOs in the promotion of resettlement activities resettlement activities