US embassy cable - 05GENEVA1287

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001287 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, SMIG, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: UNHCR FORUM: ONE BRIDGE, ONE DEAD END 
 
1. (U) Summary: The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' 
Forum (UNHCR/Forum) met May 20, with  Deputy High 
Commissioner Kamel Morjane and Director of International 
Protection Erika Feller on the podium for an all-day session 
attended by approximately one hundred representatives from 
Geneva missions, capitals, and NGOs.  While the Forum has 
generated a concrete approach to bridging the relief to 
development gap, its efforts to navigate the asylum-migration 
nexus appear to have reached an impasse.  The USG has long 
advocated mainstreaming the Forum's work and concluding the 
Convention Plus Process in 2005. In order to do so, however, 
it may be necessary to persuade UNHCR to redirect or abort 
the discussions on Irregular Secondary Movements. End summary. 
 
2. (U) Morjane made extensive and detailed opening remarks on 
the objectives of the forum (strengthening protection and 
finding durable solutions for refugees) and the need to look 
at related issues (migration, development, security). 
Denmark and Japan said that their work on Targeted 
Development Assistance (TDA) was ready to be "mainstreamed, 
but not dropped" and cited their field-based implementation 
of the concept (Japan is working with Ethiopia while Denmark 
is working with Uganda).  The World Bank Representative in 
Geneva provided background on the country-specific Poverty 
Reduction Strategy Process, which the World Bank and 
International Monetary Fund approved five years ago.  It is 
now being used in 45 developing states and being adopted in 
12 more. Representatives of eight developing states spoke 
favorably about TDA, but Pakistan stated that while it is 
"logical" in repatriations, it is not an acceptable concept 
for development programs or refugees in countries of asylum. 
 
 
3.  (U)  Targeted Development Assistance provides concrete 
guidance on how to bridge the relief to development gap.  It 
has studied Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) which 
are prepared by developing-state governments in consultation 
with international and bilateral donors.  While some states 
include their returning populations in PRSPs, host states 
rarely include refugees in PRSPs, and many in fact refer to 
refugees as a drain, rather than a contributor, to regional 
development.  Since PRSPs are prepared at the national level, 
refugee advocates, including UNHCR representatives, NGOs and 
bilateral missions need to work at the local level to include 
targeted development assistance for refugee-impacted areas in 
the PRSPs.  Host states and donors may become more interested 
in the TDA approach as it is endorsed not only by UNHCR but 
also by the World Bank, IMF and UNDP. 
 
4.  (SBU) Nonetheless, several developing states, including 
Pakistan and some African representatives, regard TDA with 
suspicion, and express the belief that it is a stalking horse 
for burden-shifting, i.e., is a mechanism for unwanted local 
integration which would, in the process, reduce humanitarian 
funds while siphoning off money which would otherwise be 
available for the host population.  These states are not 
persuaded that TDA will bring additionality, and have asked 
for further discussions on the "Best Practices" document. 
Denmark and Japan, as facilitating states, see the 
Geneva-based process as concluded, and, like UNHCR, are more 
interested in applying the practice in the field than in 
leading a recurrent debate.  UNHCR realizes, however, that 
the unpersuaded states still need an outlet for their 
questions and concerns, if only an ad-hoc discussion group. 
 
5.  (SBU) TDA, like resettlement, is presented as an option 
which some states may find useful in pursuing improved 
protection and durable solutions for refugees.  However, it 
is not for everyone.  While self-reliance programs may not be 
cost-effective for refugee populations hosted in isolated, 
harsh areas (such as north African deserts), they can be 
extremely effective when host government policy permits 
refugees to avail themselves of arable land or benefit from 
other favorable circumstances.  Similarly, refugee 
contributions to development in the host community are 
consistently linked to host government polices: when they are 
allowed to work, the positive effect of refugees on local 
economies is strong, and easily outpaces the humanitarian 
inputs and infrastructure projects which are otherwise the 
only inputs a host population may see, and which will end 
when the refugees depart.  Host countries that have come to 
understand this, such as Zambia and Uganda, are already 
implementing TDA programs.  Those states that restrict or 
forbid refugee employment, such as Tanzania, see little or no 
positive impact of the refugee presence. 
 
6.  (U) Erika Feller led UNHCR presentations and plenary 
discussion on Irregular Secondary Movements (ISM) and gave an 
update on the Strategic Use of Resettlement.  She reported 
that the Resettlement framework completed last year calls for 
building new programs in additional states, which is 
progressing in Latin America.  In addition, referral of 
groups for resettlement is underway, although thus far none 
has been identified for a "Comprehensive Plan of Action." 
 
7. (SBU) Irregular Secondary Movement, however, continued to 
generate heated debate. NGO representatives and Mexico 
renewed demands that the Forum discuss ISM only in terms of 
protection and remove paragraphs on returns or re-admissions, 
which they regard as migration management and law enforcement 
issues beyond UNHCR's mandate.  In addition, the NGO 
statement insisted that UNHCR must present an explicit 
definition of its core concept, protection, as a first step 
in preparing a framework of understanding on ISM. 
 
8.  (SBU) UNHCR has long argued that the role of the Forum, 
and of the ISM strand, is to help find durable solutions for 
specific groups of refugees; it does not have a mandate to 
define protection - a task which UNHCR and many states 
clearly believe would be nearly impossible to complete in 
today's climate.  Rather than invest the time and resources 
in debate, Feller advocated development of a balanced 
document which identifies the reasons for irregular secondary 
movements as largely protection-based, and proposes a 
framework of understanding for addressing those reasons.  The 
balance, she argues, would require an acknowledgment that 
when protection is not the reason for irregular secondary 
movements, states would rightfully pursue return and 
re-admission processes.  The advocacy groups argue, however, 
that protection must be defined and its standards met before 
any process for return or re-admission can be contemplated. 
 
9.  (SBU)  The debate has led ISM into a process of lengthy 
drafting sessions dominated by a few spokespersons. 
According to one participant, a two-day drafting session in 
May resulted in a document (initially drafted by South Africa 
and Switzerland) "entirely in brackets."  Three more drafting 
sessions (each two days) have already been scheduled as the 
facilitators press to meet their fall 2005 deadline for 
completion of the Framework.  UNHCR, South Africa, and 
Switzerland have a vested interest in developing solutions 
for irregular secondary movements. Nonetheless, although they 
are not in a position to simply walk away from the process, 
their chances for successfully accommodating all positions at 
this point appear minimal.  As language becomes more 
specific, other participants are increasingly pressed into a 
corner where they may be forced to take sides; many states 
are loathe to continue a process which is likely to polarize 
and alienate the participants and, ultimately, fail. 
 
10.  (SBU) Comment: Morjane and Feller, along with Acting 
High Commissioner Chamberlin, have renewed their personal 
commitments to the Forum/Convention Plus process on several 
occasions since the resignation of its architect, former High 
Commissioner Ruud Lubbers.  Morjane stated, however,  that a 
number of options for the future are being prepared for 
decision by the new High Commissioner.  Declaring a 
successful conclusion to the Resettlement and TDA strands 
could be justified; however, devising an exit strategy from 
the ISM process would appear the more important task at hand. 
 End comment. 
Moley