Ibero-American Summit
Briefing Notes, 3 November 2006
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 3 November 2006, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR welcomes the forthcoming meeting on migration of the Ibero-American Summit in Uruguay this weekend and calls on its 22 member states to use this opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to refugees.
Refugees account for a relatively small portion of the millions of people on the move around the world today and UNHCR has consistently underlined the difference between migrants and refugees. But while migration and asylum are distinct experiences, they are becoming increasingly linked, with many refugees travelling alongside migrants to reach a place of safety. Recognising this link is essential to ensure that migration management is consistent with human rights and refugee protection.
During the two-day summit, 19 Latin American states, as well as Spain, Portugal and Andorra, will seek to establish a collaborative framework to handle migration movements within their region. UNHCR, which will take part as an observer, is well aware of the challenges of dealing with mixed population movements, especially in countries that receive large numbers of illegal migrants. We welcome all efforts to find solutions that foster development and uphold the rights of refugees and others in need of international protection.
We also stress that the right to asylum must be an integral part of any migratory framework. We are increasingly providing practical support to help states fulfil their obligations to refugees caught up in such mixed migration movements. For example, we can provide technical expertise to help develop and put in place clear procedures to identify people in need of international protection.
Earlier this year, UNHCR issued a 10-Point Plan of Action outlining its commitment to help the international community address the issue of mixed migration in a coherent and collaborative manner
All in the same boat: The challenges of mixed migration around the world.
Implementation of the 10-Point Plan in Different Regions
Regional Stakeholder Conferences
- Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in Central Asia
(Almaty, Kazakhstan, 15-16 March 2011)
- Regional Conference on Mixed Movements and Irregular Migration from the East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Region to Southern Africa
(Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, 6-7 September 2010)
- Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in the Americas: Protection Considerations in the Context of Mixed Migration
(San José, Costa Rica, 19-20 November 2009)
- Regional Conference on "Refugee Protection and International Migration in the Gulf of Aden"
(Sana'a, Yemen, 19-20 May 2008)
- Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in West Africa
(Dakar, Senegal, 13-14 November 2008)
Expert Roundtables
Stocking of the 10-Point Plan Project
The link between movements of refugees and broader migration attracts growing attention.
Migrants are different from refugees but the two sometimes travel alongside each other.
Osvaldo Laport
Osvaldo Laport
Drifting Towards Italy
Every year, Europe's favourite summer playground - the Mediterranean Sea - turns into a graveyard as hundreds of men, women and children drown in a desperate bid to reach European Union (EU) countries.
The Italian island of Lampedusa is just 290 kilometres off the coast of Libya. In 2006, some 18,000 people crossed this perilous stretch of sea - mostly on inflatable dinghies fitted with an outboard engine. Some were seeking employment, others wanted to reunite with family members and still others were fleeing persecution, conflict or indiscriminate violence and had no choice but to leave through irregular routes in their search for safety.
Of those who made it to Lampedusa, some 6,000 claimed asylum. And nearly half of these were recognized as refugees or granted some form of protection by the Italian authorities.
In August 2007, the authorities in Lampedusa opened a new reception centre to ensure that people arriving by boat or rescued at sea are received in a dignified way and are provided with adequate accommodation and medical facilities.
Drifting Towards Italy
Colombia: A struggle for rights
Overlooked by the rest of the world, decades of violent internal conflict have forced more than 3.5 million Colombians from their homes, with more fleeing nearly every day. Some seek shelter overseas, but about 80 percent head for urban centres within the country.
For most, towns and cities represent much-prized safety after seeing loved ones killed, or rescuing their children from threats of forced conscription. But the places where they can afford to live are usually the poorest barrios - located on a landslide-prone cliff or, perhaps, a flood-plagued beachfront.
Rural people and farmers also often find it a challenge to make a living in a town or city. Instead of growing plantains and catching fish, they now have to somehow earn enough money every day to feed their families.
Traumas also follow displaced Colombians. Formerly independent women used to working or staying alone now need to have others around constantly.
UNHCR is working with the Colombian government to make services available to forcibly displaced people. An important first step is a long-standing collaboration under which more than 3 million displaced Colombians have received identity cards.
Colombia: A struggle for rights
IOM Director General Swing Remarks on the Resettlement of Refugees from Bhutan in Nepal
The UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) marked a major milestone: the resettlement of over 100,000 refugees from Bhutan in Nepal to third countries since the launch of the programme in 2007.
High Commissioner Guterres Remarks on the resettlement of Refugees from Bhutan in Nepal
The UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) marked a major milestone: the resettlement of over 100,000 refugees from Bhutan in Nepal to third countries since the launch of the programme in 2007.
UNHCR - IDC video on alternatives to detention for children
The story of a young boy and girl forced to flee their homes, and how detention can be avoided in order to complete their migration status.
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