Managing External Relations - Disaster Management Center ...

Governments and Diplomatic Corps
Chapter 3
Governments are involved in discussions with UNHCR at various levels and locations. Some
examples are the UNHCR Liaison Office to the UN in New York, the Regional Liaison Office to the
OAU in Addis Ababa and the Regional Office to the European Institutions in Brussels. UNHCR
headquarters in Geneva and the offices in the field (generally categorised as Branch or Liaison
Offices, Sub-Offices and Field Offices) are also directly involved in these discussions.
The legal and institutional dialog between States and UNHCR includes the 1950 Statute which
is binding to UNHCR and is to be respected by States, and the 1951 Convention and its 1967
Protocol and other instruments binding States. UNHCR staff should become familiar with all
relevant documents, particularly Article 35 of the Convention which is the principle rule outlining
co-operation between the States and UNHCR. For additional details on UNHCR’s internal structures,
see Annex 1.
The successful delivery of protection and assistance to refugees in emergencies requires close
co-ordination with government authorities at diplomatic, central, and local levels throughout the
entire programme cycle. This includes needs assessment, planning and budgeting, and consultation
with local authorities. As international refugee policy evolves, countries of origin are being called
upon to eradicate the causes of flight and to facilitate return. Dialog is needed with governments to
draw refugee producing countries, as well as other countries that may be responsible for refugee
flows, into a framework of international co-operation aimed at preventing, halting and reversing the
conditions that cause people to flee.
Host Governments
UNHCR advocates for the protection of refugees and provision of humanitarian assistance to those
in need. Working with host governments to facilitate immediate assistance and ensure access to
asylum, UNHCR builds relations to help ensure against refoulement and provides for the humane
reception of refugees in the host country. UNHCR often works with host governments and others in
the resettlement of some refugees to third countries, repatriation to the home country when this is
feasible, or local settlement within the host country.
Host governments may request UNHCR to implement programs directly or through suitable
implementing partners. In most countries, the government has established a special focal point or
ministry to co-ordinate humanitarian assistance. Other important ministries may include Foreign
Affairs, Interior and Defence. It is also important that the diplomatic corps accredited to the country
(which includes ambassadors of Member States of EXCOM and representatives from major donor
countries and regional inter-governmental bodies) is kept informed of UNHCR’s activities from the
start of an emergency. This will help you gain local support and influence fund raising.
Relations with host country governments are built over many years through advocacy and are
reinforced with adoption of national legislation in accordance with international law and accession
to the basic refugee conventions, protocols and international law. UNHCR can build emergency
preparedness-related relationships with local governments through contingency planning meetings,
roundtables, and workshops.
The legal framework that governs relations with the host country is based on a co-operation
agreement with the host government, sometimes referred to as a ‘host country agreement’ or
‘accord de siege.’ A co-operation agreement ideally covers all elements of direct relevance to
UNHCR activities in favour of refugees and persons of concern. In some operations, UNHCR
operates under the umbrella of UNDP and is therefore covered by the agreement between UNDP
and the host government.
In an emergency operation, UNHCR staff must become familiar as soon as possible with the cooperation
agreement. If no such agreement exists, one of the first actions will be to conclude one.
EP
04
39