Press Release No. 09-91e - CCME
16.12.09 14:29
Refugee resettlement to France: seizing the momentum to improve refugee protection and reception
CCME Press Release of 16th December 2009
Round table in French Senate underlines crucial role of UNHCR and NGOs in resettlement
A debate on refugee resettlement to France on 15th December 2009 in the French Senate brought together some 50 representatives of the French government, French parliament, political parties, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and civil society organisations.
The debate was the fifth of a series of debates on refugee resettlement, which the Churches´ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) is organising in 2009-2010 with partners across the EU. This debate, which was co-organised by the French NGO Forum Réfugiés, took place in a setting largely influenced by the arrival of Iraqi refugees from Jordan and Syria in different operations throughout the last two years.
The round table debate in particular looked at the role of national policies and international practice in selection, reception and integration of resettled refugees. This issue had proven to be of particular importance for the groups of Iraqis arriving in France. The French government had in 2008-2009 not only
carried out its first annual resettlement operation in partnership with the UNHCR, but also initiated a number of “special operation” evacuating Iraqi refugees from the Middle East. These refugees had to undergo the ordinary procedure of applying for asylum in France – in contrast to the refugees resettled in cooperation with UNHCR, which had been accepted as recognized refugees prior to their arrival in France. As refugees themselves and researchers reported, both groups of refugees had considerable difficulties with initial housing arrangements as well as general cultural and linguistic orientations in France.
Several speakers underlined that the resettlement programme and specialised operations had lead to very troubling situations for the refugees concerned. A strong concern was therefore expressed that a clearly planned pattern of partnerships between UNHCR, government and civil society in reception and integration should be agreed prior to any resettlement operation.
Torsten Moritz, Executive Secretary at CCME, commented: “It is good to see that France has seen more scope to do more for global refugee protection through resettlement given the very mixed experiences of the initial operations. It is good to see an understanding developing that future resettlement to France should happen after thorough planning and in clearly agreed partnership with the UNHCR and relevant NGOs. Our debate highlighted that there is a positive dynamic in French resettlement operations now - it is certainly time to seize that moment for improved protection and reception.”
Note to editors:
Refugee resettlement is the process by which refugees who have to flee their home country and find initial, but insufficient or temporary protection in another country, are resettled into a third country and find permanent protection and a durable, sustainable solution there. While around one hundred thousand refugees are annually resettled to the US, Canada and Australia, resettlement is since the 1960ies scarcely used in Europe: currently only ten EU member states carry out resettlement, resettling around 4.000 refugees annually.
The Churches´ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) is since 2004 actively promoting resettlement as an additional tool for refugee protection in Europe.
For more information contact CCME at Tel. +32 2 2346808 or info@remove-meccme.be
