What is resettlement and what is the EU’s role?
Integration Cities
9 March 2012 Amsterdam
Johannes van Gemund
Resettlement Policy Officer
UNHCR Bureau for Europe, Brussels
5 Questions about resettlement
1. What is resettlement?
2. Who are resettled?
3. How many people need to be resettled?
4. What does the EU do in resettlement?
5. What can the EU do more?
What is resettlement?
UNHCR pursues 3 durable solutions:voluntary
repatriation, local integration
and resettlement
Protection tool element of
solidarity sharing
Iridimi camp/Chad © Zalmai
Strategic use of Resettlement
“The planned use of resettlement in a
manner that maximizes the benefits, directly or
indirectly, other than those received by the
refugee being resettled. Those benefits may
accrue to other refugees, the hosting
state, other states or the international protection
regime in general.”
Lukole camp Tanzania © E. Wiinblad
Who are resettled?
• Less than 1 percent of all refugees are referred (by UNHCR) to resettlement countries for resettlement.
• The resettlement countries have the final say if they resettle refugees and whom they accept.
Lukole camp Tanzania © E. Wiinblad
Who is eligible?
Individuals who are eligible for resettlement are:
(i) recognized as refugees under UNHCR's mandate;
and
(ii) deemed eligible according to UNHCR`s resettlement submission categories as put down the UNHCR Resettlement Handbook.
Who is eligible?
UNHCR identifies refugees according to
Resettlement Submission Categories:
Legal and Physical Protection NeedsSurvivors of Violence and TortureMedical NeedsWomen and Girls at RiskFamily ReunificationChildren and Adolescents at RiskLack of foreseeable alternative durable solutions
How are refugees selected?
UNHCR:• Resettlement interview• Resettlement referral form
submitted to States
States:• States decide on refugee situations/ nationalities• Decisions based on interviews in selection missions or
dossier submissions exclusively• Recognition rate is over 90%
Al Tanf © UNHCR/B. Diab
Global resettlement needs
780,000 refugees have been identified as in need by offices around the world in the coming 3-5 years.
For 2012: 172,000 refugees will be prioritized
Somali camp in Kenya © UNHCR/E. Hockstein
Global resettlement needs
Main asylum countries 2011:Syria – 23,500, Kenya- 20,500, Nepal – 18,500, Malaysia – 15,000, Thailand – 12,300, Turkey – 17,000
Main countries of origin 2011:Afghanistan – 274,383, Somalia – 150,355, Myanmar – 101,150, Iraq – 68,366, Sudan – 61,996
Submissions/ departures
What does the EU do?
UNHCR Resettlement to EU Member States and to All Other Resettlement Countries 2006-2010
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Pers
ons
EU Member States All Others
European resettlement: momentum since 2008
Nov 2008: EU decided to resettle (up to) 10,000 refugees from Iraq
Al Tanf. © UNHCR/B. Auger
European Resettlement: momentum since 2008
Resettlement countries:
Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Czech Republic,, Portugal, Ireland
New resettlement countries since 2008:
Czech Republic, Romania, Spain and Germany, ad hoc resettlement: Belgium, Luxemourg
New resettlement programmes announced:
Bulgaria and Hungary
The Joint EU Resettlement Programme
Joint EU Resettlement Programme
Not a programme (yet)
Joint EU Resettlement Programme
Framework for cooperation
Voluntary + incremental approach
Cooperation facilitated by EASO
Funding under the European Refugee Fund: geographic/ specific vulnerable refugees
What does UNHCR expect from the Europe in resettlement?
More resettlement places:A bigger role in offering resettlement as a form
of protection, complementary to access to fair and effective asylum systems for asylum seekers coming to the Europe
If the EU Member States cooperate in an EU Resettlement Programme, they can use resettlement more strategically, contributing to comprehensive solutions for refugee situations
Thank you
An Oromo family, who came to the UK in 2006 as refugees from Ethiopia under the UK resettlement programme, visit the seaside in
Brighton where they have been resettled.
UNHCR / H. Davies © 2007