EU Resettlement Skills Share Day Johannes van der Klaauw Senior Resettlement Coordinator UNHCR Division of International Protection

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1 Brussels, 14 May 2012 EU Resettlement Skills Share Day Johannes van der Klaauw Senior Resettlement Coordinator UNHCR Division of International Protection

2 What is Refugee Resettlement? Resettlement is a tool to provide international protection and meet the specific needs of individual refugees whose life, liberty, safety, health or other fundamental rights are at risk in the country where they have sought refuge. Responses to Emergency Situations (ex-libya). Emergency Resettlement of Protection Cases. Medical urgencies and other protection needs (victims of torture, sexual violence, disabled refugees) Refugees may be denied basic human rights in a country where they sought asylum; In such instances, the timely relocation of refugees through resettlement becomes an imperative tool to protect refugees.

3 What is Refugee Resettlement? Resettlement is a durable solution for larger numbers or groups of refugees, alongside the other durable solutions of voluntary repatriation and local integration. Out of the 10.5 million refugees under the mandate of UNHCR, some 7.2 million worldwide continue to live in exile for more than 5 years. Resettlement can bring new hopes to these protracted refugees. Resettlement can also be used strategically to leverage wider protection and solutions benefits to refugees not being resettled.

4 A Global Perspective on Resettlement. 172,000 refugees in need of resettlement in 2012 (UNHCR global needs estimate); Available resettlement places remain at some 80,000 individuals per year; Main groups of refugees in need of resettlement (2012): Iraqis (Middle East), Somalis (Kenya), Afghans (Iran & Pakistan) Other main resettled groups: Myanmarese (Thailand, Malaysia) and Bhutanese (Nepal)

5 Resettlement Countries: 2011 Resettlement Departures. Country of resettlement Departures (persons) United States Canada Australia Sweden Norway Denmark Finland Netherlands New Zealand United Kingdom All others 43,215 6,827 5,597 1, Grand Total 61,231

6 Resettlement in the EU Resettlement Departures.

7 Global Challenges to Resettlement. Additional security vetting procedures; Access to refugee populations in certain countries of asylum (Syria, Kenya, Eritrea, Yemen); Increasing complexity of profiles and requirements by Resettlement States Imbalanced response: One single resettlement country remains responsible for 70% of resettlement intake worldwide.

8 North Africa, the Crisis in Libya. o o o o o 2011 Global Solidarity Resettlement Initiative, serving the three functions of resettlement. Situation in border regions of Tunisia and Egypt with Libya: 5,000 refugees submitted for resettlement (3,000 in Shousha, Tunisia and 2,000 in Saloum, Egypt); Nine EU Member States out of a total of 13 participated. Top intakes by USA (expected 3, %), Norway (485) and Sweden (350). Nine EU MS have accepted 835 refugees. Departures mid-may 2012: 1,450 from Shousha (including embassy procedures Switzerland and Canada) and 250 from

9 Current designated Priority Situations for the Strategic Use of Resettlement. Kenya (Somali Refugees) Iran and Pakistan (Afghan Refugees) North Africa emergency ex-libya (subsaharan African Refugees) Turkey (Iranian and Iraqi Refugees) Syria, Jordan and Lebanon (Iraqi Refugees) Ecuador, Costa Rica (Panama, Venezuela) (Colombian refugees) Non-priority but strategic use: Eastern Sudan, Nepal

10 Resettlement in Practice. 1 Case identification 2 Case verification and assessment 3 Preparation of a submission 4 UNHCR submission decision 5 Appropriate resettlement country determined 6 Resettlement country decision 7 Pre-departure arrangements and travel 8 Post-arrival reception and integration

11 Resettlement in Practice: Identification of Needs. Participatory assessments / Dialogue with Refugees (AGDM) The HRIT (Heightened Risk Identification Tool) UNHCR / Host State Registration Data Bases Refugees Protection and Resettlement needs Identification. External & Internal Referrals

12 The way forward and the contribution of the EU Joint Resettlement Program. Expand the basis for resettlement by increasing places and countries; Increase the targeting of priority situations through the strategic use of RST in protracted situations; Enhance RST as a response to urgent protection needs, including in emergencies and crisis situations; Invest in reception and integration of resettled refugees with focus on capacities, resources and measuring outcomes.

13 Thank you.