CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
CONCLUSIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ... - UNHCR
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The Executive Committee,<br />
2005 (Executive Committee—55 th Session)<br />
<strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong> <strong>ADOPTED</strong> <strong>BY</strong> <strong>THE</strong> <strong>EXECUTIVE</strong><br />
COMMITTEE ON <strong>THE</strong> INTERNATIONAL<br />
PROTECTION OF REFUGEES<br />
No. 102 (LVI) – GENERAL (2005)<br />
(a) Welcomes the information provided on continued implementation of the Agenda for Protection contained in<br />
this year's Note on International Protection 1 ; and encourages States, <strong>UNHCR</strong>, other intergovernmental as well<br />
as non-governmental organizations to cooperate and to redouble their efforts to implement the Agenda, as<br />
appropriate, to provide timely information on their respective follow-up activities, and to explore with <strong>UNHCR</strong><br />
the merits of a consolidated report to the Executive Committee on its implementation, taking into account the<br />
time and resources that might be required, to enable the Committee and <strong>UNHCR</strong> jointly to assess progress;<br />
(b) Recalls paragraph (o) of its Conclusion No. 99 (LV); notes the need for <strong>UNHCR</strong> to continue efforts to<br />
strengthen its protection presence in the field, including in particular female protection staff; and continues to<br />
call upon States to extend their support in this regard through the timely and predictable provision of resources;<br />
(c) Welcomes the accession of Afghanistan to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its<br />
1967 Protocol, bringing the number of States parties to either one or both of these instruments to 146; also<br />
welcomes the inclusion of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol in the list of instruments identified by the<br />
Secretary-General for the annual treaty event entitled "Focus 2005: Responding to Global Challenges" held in<br />
New York in September 2005; and appeals to States which have not yet acceded to these instruments to<br />
consider doing so and to States which have made reservations to consider lifting them;<br />
(d) Welcomes the successful meeting hosted by the Government of Mexico in November 2004 to commemorate<br />
the 20th Anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees; notes with interest the Plan of Action endorsed<br />
by that meeting; and encourages those States concerned to follow through on their commitments to strengthen<br />
refugee protection in the region and respond accordingly to other situations of forced displacement;<br />
(e) Recalls the 1996 Geneva Conference on the problems of refugees, displaced persons, migration and asylum<br />
issues in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States; concludes with satisfaction that the ten-year<br />
follow-up process generated by the Conference is nearing its completion and has been successful in pursuing the<br />
original goals of addressing the multi-faceted protection and migration challenges of the countries of the CIS in<br />
a coherent and concerted way; and encourages States, <strong>UNHCR</strong> and other relevant actors to continue to work<br />
collaboratively, building on the successes of the Conference Process to date;<br />
(f) Expresses concern at instances of persecution, generalized violence and violations of human rights which<br />
continue to cause and perpetuate displacement within and beyond national borders and which increase the<br />
challenges faced by States in effecting durable solutions; condemns all forms of threats, harassment and<br />
violence directed against refugees and other persons of concern, and expresses its deep concern about such acts<br />
experienced by refugee women and children, including sexual and gender-based violence; and calls on States to<br />
promote and protect the human rights of all refugees, and other persons of concern, paying special attention to<br />
those with specific needs, and to tailor their protection responses appropriately;<br />
(g) Deplores the continuing violence and insecurity which constitute an ongoing threat to the safety and security<br />
of humanitarian personnel and an obstacle to the effective fulfilment of <strong>UNHCR</strong>'s mandate, and the ability of<br />
<strong>UNHCR</strong>'s implementing partners and other humanitarian personnel to discharge their respective humanitarian<br />
functions; and calls on States and concerned parties to take all possible measures to ensure the safety and<br />
security of <strong>UNHCR</strong> personnel and property and that of all humanitarian organizations discharging <strong>UNHCR</strong><br />
mandated functions;<br />
(h) Acknowledges the value of a focused and concrete pursuit of a range of activities aimed at strengthening the<br />
protection capacities of States, particularly those dealing with protracted refugee situations; welcomes in this<br />
regard the development and promotion of a comprehensive framework for assessing protection capacity needs<br />
within the context of the Strengthening Protection Capacity Project; and encourages the continued facilitation of<br />
consensus building through participatory stakeholder consultations at national levels, bringing together all the<br />
1 A/AC.96/1008<br />
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