UNHCR’s protection chief explains why the new global compact on refugees matters

Summary

The transcript discusses the international community's response to refugee crises, highlighting the Global Compact as a solution to the decades-long gap in burden-sharing. It emphasizes the importance of political commitment from 193 UN member states, despite the Compact's non-binding nature. The Compact aims to support host countries and communities by integrating refugees into national programs and garnering sustained political attention to the issue. It also involves international financial institutions in addressing the systemic shocks caused by forced displacement.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The international community faces challenges in assisting countries overwhelmed by refugee influxes, with no specific guidance from the 1951 convention on burden-sharing.
• 📜 The Global Compact aims to fill a decades-long gap by providing a framework for countries to share responsibilities regarding refugees.
• 🗣️ An 18-month process involving all 193 UN member states and stakeholders led to a multilateral agreement on a sensitive issue, despite global polarization.
• 🎯 The UN General Assembly is expected to adopt the Global Compact, symbolizing a strong political commitment from member states to implement it.
• 🏥 The Global Compact emphasizes the need for support to host communities, whose health and education services are often strained by the influx of refugees.
• 💼 Countries like Bangladesh and Lebanon can rely on support from institutions like the World Bank to bolster their services for refugees and host communities.
• 🔄 The compact promotes a win-win situation by ensuring that improvements in health and other services benefit both refugees and host communities.
• 🌱 It encourages the inclusion of refugees in national programs, moving beyond the humanitarian emergency phase to a more sustainable integration.
• 🏦 International financial institutions have recognized the shock displacement causes to systems like water, sanitation, education, and health, and are now more involved in supporting these areas.
• 🌟 The Global Compact not only builds on existing partnerships but also expands and introduces new ones, including international financial institutions.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the transcript?

The main issue discussed is the impact of a large influx of refugees on a country and how the international community, particularly through the Global Compact, assists in addressing this challenge.

What does the 1951 convention lack according to the transcript?

The 1951 convention does not specify how to share the burden and responsibilities of refugee situations, which is a gap that the Global Compact aims to fill.

What is the Global Compact and how does it respond to the refugee issue?

The Global Compact is an agreement that provides a framework for countries to respond to refugee situations more effectively. It aims to fill the gaps left by the 1951 convention by specifying how to share the burden and responsibilities among nations.

How did the UN manage to achieve a consensus on such a sensitive issue?

Despite polarization and divisiveness, the UN managed a multilateral process involving all 193 member states and other stakeholders, resulting in a consensus to adopt the Global Compact.

What is the expected outcome of the UN General Assembly adopting the Global Compact?

The expected outcome is a strong political commitment from all 193 member states to implement the Global Compact, even though it is not legally binding.

How does the Global Compact assist countries affected by a large influx of refugees?

The Global Compact assists by providing support to host countries and communities, such as boosting health and education services, and ensuring sustained political attention to the refugee issue.

What is the significance of the World Bank's support mentioned in the transcript?

The World Bank's support is significant as it provides early assistance to countries like Bangladesh that are heavily affected by the influx of refugees, helping to bolster their health and education services.

Why is it important to keep the refugee issue on the political agenda?

It is important to keep the refugee issue on the political agenda to ensure that it does not get forgotten and to maintain a focus on finding long-term solutions.

How does the Global Compact approach the inclusion of refugees in national programs?

The Global Compact encourages the inclusion of refugees in national programs by finding ways to integrate them into systems such as health and education, which benefits both refugees and host communities.

What is the role of international financial institutions in the Global Compact?

International financial institutions play a role in the Global Compact by recognizing the impact of forced displacement on systems like water, sanitation, education, and health. They support and invest in these systems to help them cope with larger populations.

How does the Global Compact expand partnerships and bring in new partners?

The Global Compact expands partnerships by building on existing ones and incorporating new partners, such as international financial institutions, to create a broader approach to supporting host countries and communities.