Trinidad and Tobago: signs refugee convention & protocol

Trinidad and Tobago on November 2nd became the 140th country to sign the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol - the foundations of international refugee law.

Until now, Trinidad and Tobago had not instituted legal provisions for refugees to seek protection from persecution, but handled requests for asylum on a case-by-case basis. Accession to the Convention will assist the government in determining refugee status and will help ensure that refugees in need of protection are treated according to international standards.