InCommemorationofthe80thAnniversaryoftheEstablishmentofDiplomaticRelations

EmbassyofJapanandBaghdadUniversityPeaceBuildingSeminar

18February2019

PeaceBuildingandForced

Displacement

SaburoTakizawaChairman,JapanforUNHCR

FormerUNHCRRepresentativeinJapan

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Self-Introduction

•  ChairmanofJapanforUNHCR•  ProfessorofToyoEiwaUniversity•  UNHCRRepresentativeinJapan•  UNHCRController/Director•  UNIDODirectorforProgramCoordination•  UNRWAFinanceOfficeretc(Jordan,Lebanon,Austria)•  MinistryofJustice,Japan•  UniversityofCaliforniaMBA•  Bornin1948•  Marathonrunner•  Mailsaburo.takizawaatgmail.com

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Today’sPresentation

1.   Whataretheproblems?–  VictimizationofrefugeesandIDPs

2.   Whatarethecauses?–  Conflicts–  Persecution

3.   WhataretheInternationalResponses?–  GlobalRefugeeRegime–  ProtectionofIPs

4.   Aretheresponseseffective?–  Limitations

5.   Insearchforanewapproach–  Balancingprinciplesandinterests

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IDPs

Refugees Border

Cycle of Forced Displacement

Returnees

3rd country

Country of asylum

Country of origin

Border

Economic Migrants

Asylum seekers

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Anddynamics

Peacebuilding

Nowheretoreturnto,IDMC2018

Victimsofforceddisplacement:World

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•  UNHCRGlobalTrendsReport2017•  Refugees25.4M•  IDPs40M•  Asylumseekers3M•  Total68.5M

•  44,000aredisplaceddaily•  52%arechildren,50%aregirls/women•  85%areindevelopingcountries

•  30%arefromSyria,AfghanistanandSouthSudan•  TheyareinTurkey(3.5M),Pakistan(1.4M),Uganda(1.4M)

Victimsofforceddisplacement:Iraq

•  Why IDPs cross border to become refugees?

•  Why they came back?•  What are their conditions?

IDPs(incl.returnees) Refugees

(source:IraqHumanitarianCountryTeam,

1WHATARETHEPROBLEMS?HUMANITARIANVALUES/PRINCIPLES

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Problem①:ForgottenIDPs•  UNGuidelinesonIDPs,1998–  “Persons…whohavebeenforcedto…fleetheirhomes…whohavenotcrossedastateborder”

•  IDPssufferasmuchasrefugees,yetoftenforgotten–  IDPsareinvisibleandoftenignoredbyInternationalSociety–  Theissuehasbeenregardedasan“internalaffairs”

•  IDPsare“groundzero”forrefugeecrises–  IDMCreportonIraq“Nowheretoreturnto”(Nov2018)

•  HalfoftherefugeeshavebeenIDPsbeforeleavingIraq,manyofthemseveraltimes

•  TheyleftIraqduetoalackofopportunitiesfordurablesolutions•  ManyofreturneestoIraqhaveagainbecomeIDPs•  Andtheymaybecomerefugeesagain..

–  Ifleftinlimbo,theycouldbeenticedbyextremistgroups..9

TrendsofIDPsandRefugees

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(source:UNHCRGlobalReport2017)(oneoutoften..)

70Min2018?

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TrendsofIDPs:Iraq

Totalpopulation:36MPeopleinconflict-affectedareas:11MPeopleinneedofhumanitarianassistance:6.7M (Source:IDMCReport)

Problem②：MassFlightofRefugees

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•  Lifeinperilousflight•  Loss,confusion,despair..

•  Iraq•  IDPs2M•  Refugees271,000

•  Syria•  IDPs6.3M•  Refugees6.2M

•  Myanmar•  700,000RohingyasfledtoBangladeshin2017/18

•  Venezuela•  3millionsleftthecountry,creatingregionalcrisis

•  Afghanistan,SouthSudan…

Problem③： Burdens on Host Countries

•  Burdens of refugee inflows on host communities–  Competition with local residents for physical resources

(land, water, firewood,…) –  Economic and social burdens (shelter, job, schools…

–  Political (security, ethnic and religious balances..)

•  Host states often are unable to protect refugees–  International assistance is not coming fast or not at all–  Causing “protracted refugee situations”

•  Average life in exile is over 20 years•  With no hope for the future

•  Desperate refugees may choose to move on…–  To find their own solutions

•  Crossing seas•  With the help of smugglers

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Insearchofsafety…

14http://www.bbc.com/Japanese/video-36394894

Problem④：GlobalRefugeeCrisis

•  2015•  Onemillionrefugees

enteredinGermany•  2016•  Terroristattacks•  Politicizationandmanipulationofrefugees•  UKBexist•  ElectinofTrumpintheUS

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•  2017〜•  Xenophobia, anti migration/refugee movements•  Refugee issues are now not only humanitarian issues

but international political problems•  Global context has changed for refugees

2WHATARETHECAUSES?

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NationStatesSystem

•  NationStatesystem(WestphaliaRegime)–  7billionpeoplelivein192SovereignStateswhichformtheInternationalSociety

•  PrincipleoftheInternationalSociety–  EachNationStateisresponsibletoprotectitscitizens–  Statesshouldnotinterveneininternalaffairsofothers

•  NotallStatesabidebytheprinciple–  Somepersecuteitscitizens–  Othersareunabletostopconflictsthatharmpeople

•  ResultingindisplacementofIDPsandrefugees–  ForceddisplacementmaybeaninevitableconsequenceofcurrentInternationalSystem

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State

Society

StateState

Society

TooStrongStates

(Democraticgovernmentprotectscitizens)

Asmallnumberof“politicalrefugees”

Statesinglesoutindividualsandpersecutethem

State

Society

State Citizens

Citizens

TooWeakStates

State

AlargenumberofIDPsand“conflictrefugees”

Stateisunabletocontrolconflictsbetweencitizens

CausesofincreasingIDPs

•  Changingfacesofconflict–  Persecution,violence,terrorism,tribal/ethnic/religiousarmedconflictshaveincreasedinpost-ColdWarera

–  Mechanismsforpeacefulsettlementofdisputesaremissing–  Goodgovernance,theruleoflaw,accountableandinclusiveinstitutionsaremissing

–  Tacticsofarmedconflictshavechanged:civiliansaredeliberatelytargeted

–  Terroristattacks–  Internationalhumanitarianlawandprinciplesareignored

•  Restrictiveasylumpolicies–  ByneighboringandNorthernStatesmakeitdifficultforasylumseekerstoreachdestinations

•  ManycannotfleetheircountryandremainIDPs–  Thejourneyistooriskyortoocostly

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Failed/Fragile States

State Ａ　

State Ｂ　

State Ｃ　

Government

Ethnic group Ethnic group

Religion Ａ Religion BParty Ａ

Party B

Refugees

RefugeesIDPs

Failed governance, generalized disorder/violence and poverty

Migrants

Migrants　

ComplicatingFactors:SurvivalMigrants•  Duetolackofworkandopportunities,youngpeople(ofSub-SaharanAfrica)migratetoEurope•  Theirmotivationis“survival”(SurvivalMigrants)•  Theymovewithrefugees(mixedmigration)andaskfor

asylumclaimingthattheyarerefugees•  Verydifficulttodistinguishrefugeesandmigrants

–  Conflictsleadtopovertyandpovertyleadstoconflict–  Manymaybebothrefugeeandmigrant(Venezuerans)

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Conflictpersecution

PovertyDisparity

Refugees EconomicMigrants

CausesandConsequencesofMobility

SurvivalMigrants

Globalsouth

GlobalNorth

Pushfactor：conflict,persecution,unemployment,povertyPullbackfactors：cost,familyties

Pullfactors：Peace,opportunities,laborshortagesPushbackfactors：Xenophobia,discrimination

Braindrain

3WHATARETHEINTERNATIONALRESPONSES?

(UN)INSTITUTIONS24

①InternationalAssistancetoIDPs

•  KurdishIDPsinNorthernIraq(1991GulfWar)wasaturningpointforIDPprotection–  UNHCRenteredintoIraqtohelpKurdishIDPs

•  UNGuidingPrinciplesonIDPs(1998)–  Responsibilitytoprotect(R2P):–  “SovereignStateshaveresponsibilitytoprotecttheircitizens”–  “WhenaStateisunable/unwillingtoprotectcitizens,internationalsocietyhastheresponsibilitytoprotectthem”

–  InterventionrequirestheapprovaloftheUNSecurityCouncilanditsapplicationwaslimitedtoafewcases

•  AchallengetotheprinciplesofInternationalSociety–  Doesnon-interferenceprinciplehavealimit?–  WhataretheviewsfromtheSouthandthose“protected”?

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“ResponsibilitytoProtect”

State

harm

Victims(citizens)

flightIDPs

States

Non-stateactorsRescue&Protection

Internationalsociety

IDPClusterApproach•  R2PprovidesamoralbasisforIDP

protection,butactualworkneedsoperationalarrangements

•  In2005theUNintroducedtheClusterApproachtoenhancepredictability,accountabilityandpartnership

•  Itsaimistostrengthenpreparednessandtechnicalcapacitytorespondtohumanitarianemergencieswithclearleadershipandaccountability

•  Clustersaregroupsofhumanitarianagencies,UNandnon-UN,ineachofthesectors

(Source:IraqHumanitarianNeeds2019)

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•  TheUNhasestablishedIraqRecoveryandResilienceProgramme(RRP)toacceleratethesocialdimensionsofreconstruction

•  RRPisalignedwithgovernmentalmultidimensionalreconstructionplan•  ButthegovernmentmaynotgiverequisiteprioritytoIDPs

Nationalandlocal

governmentorganizations

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②InternationalProtectionofRefugees•  GlobalRefugeeRegimeisbasedontwopremises/ideas

–  Stateresponsibilitytoofferasylum(solidpart)–  Responsibility/BurdenSharingamongStates(softpart)

•  InstitutionofAsylum①   1951RefugeeConvention–  Refugeesareshieldedfrompersecutionby“territorialprotection”

–  PrincipleofNon-Refoulement(Donotforciblyreturnrefugeestocountrieswherepersecution/victimizationmayoccur

②  UNHCR③  ManyNGOsdeliveringservicestorefugees

•  MostArabandAsianStateshavenotjoinedtheRefugeeConvention–  Althoughinpracticetheyaccepthundredsofthousandsrefugeesaw

–  Iraqhasapoliticalrefugee(since1971)

UNHCR

•  Establishedin1951–  AsasubsidiaryorganizationoftheGeneralAssembly

•  Mandate1.   Protection

•  Protectlivesinemergencysituations2.   Assistance

•  Providesassistanceincampsandtowns3.   Solutions

•  Repatriation,localintegrationandthird-countryresettlement4.   UNHCRalsoprovideassistancetoIDPsaspartofUNTeam

•  Organization–  Staffof11,000(6,500in2002,34in1951)–  LargesthumanitarianagencyintheUNsystem–  Operatesinmorethan140countries–  AnnualbudgetUSD8billion

•  Butonly50%isfundedandassistanceoperationsarelimited30

UNHCR

UNHCR“threesolutions”

3rdcountry1stcountryofasylum

CountryofOrigin

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UNHCR

②Integration

Refugeeprotection

③Resettlement

Financialaid

①Repatriation

③ReturnandPeaceBuilding•  Return/repatriation is not a sustainable solution

–  Unless/until causes of flight are removed and peace is reestablished

•  “An Agenda for Peace” of 1992 on Peace Building–  “A range of measures targeted to reduce the risk of lapsing or

relapsing into conflict by strengthening national capacities at all levels for conflict management, and to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and development.

–  Peacebuilding strategies must be coherent and tailored to the specific needs of the country concerned, based on national ownership, and should comprise a carefully prioritized, sequenced, and relatively narrow set of activities aimed at achieving the above objectives.”

•  Institutional arrangements–  UN Integrated Missions

–  All agencies are involved to assist the country to build peace

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4LIMITATIONOFTHEGLOBALREFUGEE(IDP)REGIME

DIVERGENTINTERESTS33

LimitationofGlobalRefugeeRegime①

•  Definition of Refugees in 1951 Refugee Convention–  Ispersecution-basedanddoesnotaddresstheplightofmillionsofpeoplefleeingfromthreatstolives•  Statesrestrictivelyinterpret1951Convention•  Somedonotcomplywiththe1951Convention

–  Iftheymerelyfleewarandarmedconflict,theywillnotqualifyasarefugee•  TheConventiondefinitionissilentonarmedconflicts/violence•  “Conflictrefugees”aregrantedonlycomplimentaryprotection,subsidiaryprotectionorevacuationopportunity

–  TheConventiondefinitionistoonarrowinanageofmassoutfloworrefugeesfleeingarmedconflict/violence

–  TheConventiondoesnotadequatelyconsiderinterestsofhostStates

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LimitationofGlobalRefugeeRegime②

•  Principle of Territorial Asylum–  IDPs are excluded by definition

–  Unless and until you reach the country of destination, you you are not granted asylum

–  States use this principle to deter refugees to come •  Passport and visa check at the port of embarkation

•  Physically closing the border by barbed wire

•  Stop boats before entering territorial waters (Australia)

•  Sending asylum seekers back to safe third country

–  Refugee Convention is politically used to exclude refugees•  To calm anxieties of people of host States

•  IDPs are partly a result of refugee containment policy

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LimitationofGlobalRefugeeRegime③

•  ResponsibilityShifting,notSharing–  ProtectingIDPs/RefugeesisaGlobalPublicGood(GPG)thatbenefitsnotonlyIDPs/Refugees(humanitarianvalue)butStatesandpopulations(politicalvalue)

–  Allcountriesbenefitfromhumanlightsandsecurityoutcomesityield

•  However,–  Stateshaveaninterestinfree-riding(enjoyingbenefitsbutrefusingtopaycostsoftheGPGs)

–  Statestendtoshift,notsharing,burdens/responsibilities•  ManyNorthernStatesareclosingdoorstorefugees•  SothernStatessufferfromheavyburdenstohostrefugees

•  NoauthorityexiststoassignresponsibilitytoStates–  Comparedtotheinstitutionofasylum,nolegalframeworkisavailableforresponsibility/burdensharing

LimitationofGlobalRefugeeRegime④

•  NorthernStatesarenarrowingdoorstorefugees–  InfluxofSyrianrefugeesintoEuropein2015/6triggeredpoliticization/securitizationofrefugeeissue

–  Politicianstakeadvantagesofanxietyofpopulation–  SuthernStatesaresufferingfromburdens

–  Real“3solutions”forrefugees(Betts/Collier)①   Stayinrefugeecampsindefinitely②   Liveinurbanslums,or③   RisklivestotraveltoEuropeetc.,withsmugglers

•  CrisisoftheGlobalRefugeeRegime–  Refugeesareneithergivenrescue,autonomynordignity,andareinlimbo

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ChallengesofIDP•  Post Conflict Peace Building

–  Returnees need demined land, housing, employment, water, electricity, gas, roads, schools, medical facilities..

–  Reconciliatopn between ethnic/religious, political groups to live together

•  However, country of origin may not have sufficient resources, or may not allocate enough resources –  International assistance is needed

•  Otherwise returnees/IDPs may again become refugees or respond to calls of extremist groups

•  Peace Building human resources are inaequate due to “brain drain”

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5INSEARCHFORANEWAPPROACHBALANCINGPRINCIPLESANDINTERESTS

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①NewYorkDeclaration

•  Syrian(European)refugeecrisiswasaturningpoint–  Realizationthatexistingrefugeeregimeisnotworking

•  2016UNGeneralAssembly–  To address the large-scale movement of refugees not

foreseen in 1951 Refugee Convention

–  Stressed the need of responsibility-sharing to among Member States

–  Recognized importance of addressing root causes of forced displacement

–  Decided to prepare Global Compact on Refugees (GCR)

•  Including Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework(CRRF)

②GlobalCompactonRefugees•  Approved by the UN General Assembly in 2018–  The first global instrument in more than half a century.

•  Aims to:①  Reduce burdens of host countries②  Promote self-reliance of refugees (reduce

dependencies)③  Expand 3rd Country Resettlement and other legal

pathways④  Improve conditions of the country of origin (to facilitate

return and reintegration)

•  Through Whole of Society approach–  Involving humanitarian partners and development

partners (World Bank, UNDP) and Private sector–  with inclusion, self-reliance, and leveraging solutions

•  14 countries are implementing CRRF

③ FromAsylumtoProtection•  Existing Global Refugee Regime (GRR)–  Is built on offering territorial asylum to those who

spontaneously arrived–  Global North is shifting responsibilities by closing doors

to refugees from Global South–  Global South is suffering from burdens of hosting millions

of refugees for years–  Refugees and IDPs are in limbo

•  Existing GRR is not cost effective–  Huge sum of money is spent for protecting refugees

who arrived in the North–  Not enough is spent for refugees/IDPs in the Global

South

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③ FromAsylumtoProtection•  New approach

– To move from asylum in the North to protection in neighboring countries, as well as assisting IDPs

– To go beyond persecution-based asylum system towards economy-oriented protection

– To utilize the potentials of refugees/IDPs by providing work opportunities

– Must into account of interests (particularly economic interests) of host States and communities

–  Insteadofspendingbillionsofdollars(USD12,000+percapita)tohelprefugeeswhoreachedEurope,spend(partof)thatinneighboringhostcountries•  Makeseconomicsense

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IDPs

Refugees Border

From Asylum to Protection

Returnees

Border

Economic Migrants

Asylum seekers

AsylumintheNorth

ProtectionintheSouth

JapaneseAssistancetoIraq•  Japan’sODAprinciplesincludeHumanSecurityandPeaceBuilding

•  Humanitarianassistance(USD361M)–  AssistanceforIDPs(USD27M)–  AssistanceforSyrianrefugees(USD34M)

•  ThroughUN,Internationalagencies,NGOs•  SupporttoIraq(15billionsofUSD)–  Emergencyhumanitarianaid–  Consolidationofpeace–  Reconstructionanddevelopment–  Financialsupport

•  JapaneseofficialmoneyhelpsmillionsofIraqis–  Japanesecitizens(NGOsandJapanforUNHCR)alsoruncampaignsforIraqirefugees/IDPs

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Conclusions•  Post-conflict peace(State) building is a daring task•  In the absence of peace and stability in countries of

origin, refugees/IDP crises will recur•  IDPs in limbo could undermine peace building efforts•  Reestablishing democratic governance and economic

growth, or achieving the SDGs, is crucial•  Give refugees work opportunities (eg, Jordan

Compact)•  Political leaders are responsible for the task, with

international assistance•  Solutions in the region is better than that in the

North•  Humanitarian institutions (UNHCR) need to balance

(economic) interests and principles•  Japanese aid assists millions of Iraqi people

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References

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1.  “Nowheretoreturnto-Iraqsearchforpermanentsolutions”IDMC,November2018

2.  “Refuge–Howtofixthebrokensystem”,　AlexanearBettsandPaulCollieｒ,OxfordUniversity,2017

3.  “JapanRefugeePolicy”,SaburoTakizawa,availableathttp://www2.jiia.or.jp/en/digital_library/index.php