Chairperson
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Antonio Guterres
Excellencies Ambassadors
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Ladies and gentlemen
On behalf of the South African Government, I wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr António Guterres, and his office for their role in diligently delivering the protection and assistance mandate to the populations of concern. This regrettably has happened in the context of serious security challenges. We pay tribute to those members of the United Nations (UN) and civil society who have sustained injuries and even lost their lives in pursuit of this noble cause.
Chairperson
We are assured that under your chairpersonship, the deliberations of this 60th session of the Executive Committee Meeting (EXCOM) will most certainly reach a successful conclusion. My delegation would like to assure you of our full support and appreciation
Chairperson
It is critical to note that the financial crisis and the resultant economic recession which has affected the entire global community will not be escaped by the refugees wherever they may be. The majority of refugees like the poor have little or no savings to cushion them from the economic problems. As the economies shed jobs and increase unemployment obviously the refugees will also be disproportionately affected since a lot of them may have no skills.
This in turn is likely to increase the vulnerability of women, children and those with disabilities. We must pay special attention to the vulnerable groups especially during this time of the global economic problems. It is our hope that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other relevant agencies and partners will respond to the plight of women, girls, refugees and those with disabilities.
We are reminded of the chairperson’s summary to last year’s general debate when he referred to the High Commissioner’s challenge to the committee to think about some fundamental questions regarding how the international community should respond to the growing complexity of forced displacement including the impact of climate change; the adequacy of the office’s current legal and normative framework; the relevance of the traditional principles of humanitarian action and their relationship to new concepts such as human security and the responsibility to protect; and the adequacy of the current humanitarian architecture.
Clearly, the impact of climate change is likely to increase the number of internally displaced persons and the migrants, both regular and irregular. The UNHCR and other relevant agencies and partners should not only look at the Integrated Development Planning (IDP’s) and refugees as victims of climate change when that happens but should engage them as a useful resource that can contribute to the protection of the environment. There could be projects that would give them both a livelihood and contribute to the momentum for environment protection in sustainable development.
Chairperson
The United Nations (UN) Secretary General at the level of the UN General Assembly has contributed somewhat to the broader understanding of the responsibility to protect. We note and welcome his efforts, especially the three-pronged approach.
In this regard, the Secretary-General noted, “the first pillar encompasses the protection responsibilities of the State because prevention begins at home and the protection of populations is a defining attribute of sovereignty and statehood in the twenty-first century.”
”The second entails the international community assisting states to carry out the R2P through measures such as confidential or public persuasion, education and training. Those contemplating the incitement or perpetration of crimes and violations relating to the responsibility to protect need to be made to understand both the costs of pursuing that path and the potential benefits of seeking peaceful reconciliation and development, continued the Secretary-General.
”In the last pillar, the UN and other organisations would focus on saving lives through timely and decisive action, instead of on arbitrary, sequential or graduated policy ladders that prize procedure over substance and process over results,” concluded the Secretary-General.
We hope that the Executive Committee will indeed engage with these concepts, taking into account that some of the concepts referred to such as the responsibility to protect and human security” are necessarily still being developed.
In the African Union we have expressed our concern at the protracted refugee situations in Africa and the serious challenges faced by refugees and IDP’s. We are also concerned at the negative impact in the host countries, many of which have fragile socio-economic conditions. In this regard, the decision of the EXCOM member states to discuss this matter at this session is timely and of critical importance. We believe that member states will continue to work towards a solution so that we can adopt the conclusion.
South Africa commends the United Republic of Tanzania to ameliorate the plight of thousands of Burundian refugees by providing a durable solution and naturalising them, thereby freeing them from a protracted refugee situation.
Whilst globally the number of refugees has decreased, on the other hand the number of IDP’s has increased and Africa is no exception in that it hosts the largest number of IDP’s than any other continent. The majority of these refugees and IDP’s have been in exile and displacement for several years and in some cases even for decades, depriving millions of able and willing citizens the opportunity to build peaceful lives and contribute to the continent’s development. When such a large number of people are forced to live in camps and settlements with very limited rights and opportunities, it could expose them to security threats including possible recruitments into armed groups.
This has led to the African Union convening a special Summit of Heads of State and Government in Kampala hosted by the government of Uganda in October 2009. We are looking forward to working with the UNHCR and other partners to develop sustainable solutions for addressing the challenge of forced displacement in Africa.
Chairperson
South Africa values immigrants and we believe that they make a significant contribution to our economic development and cultural diversity, and enhance our humanity as a people. It is critical to note that migration is not about systems, but about people. Accordingly in whatever we do and whatever we say, we certainly have to engender a people centred approach to migration based correctly on a human rights culture.
The mixed migratory nature of the population movement into South Africa poses many challenges to our efforts of managing migration and providing protection to those who qualify for international protection. In the light of this, we are reviewing our migration policy so as to better address this challenge utilising the ten-point plan as an instrument, adapting it to suit our circumstances.
Chairperson
My delegation acknowledges that 2009 has been an extremely busy year for UNHCR striving to put to fruition the various initiatives undertaken within the structural and management change process. We acknowledge the many successes which will, among others, lead to a leaner and efficient headquarters, improved performance at the field level as well as better planning and reliable assessment of beneficiaries’ needs. This will also make it easier for member states to fulfil their various responsibilities to protect and assist refugees within their own capacities and resources.
With regard to the newly structured budget due to be implemented during the biennial budgetary period of 2010/11, we are of the view that, in the interest of protecting the core mandate of UNHCR towards refugees and stateless persons, on-going negotiations should guide the implementation process.
In conclusion, South Africa expresses its appreciation that UNHCR put time aside from their schedule to visit our country. We value the exchanges of perspectives between the UNHCR and the South African authorities on how to move forward in the protection and integration of refugees.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Siobhan McCarthy
Cell: 082 886 6708
E-mail: Siobhan.McCarthy@dha.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
28 September 2009
Source: Department of Home Affairs (http://www.dha.gov.za/)
