General conclusion on international protection

No. 92 (LIII) - 2002

The Executive Committee,

Welcoming the contribution of the Global Consultations on International Protection to strengthening the international framework for refugee protection and to equip States better to address the challenges in a spirit of dialogue and cooperation,

Welcoming particularly in this context the Declaration of States Parties adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of States Parties to the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, convened in Geneva on 12 and 13 December 2001, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Convention,

Commending UNHCR for the considerable efforts expended to make the Global Consultations process a success,

Recalling its Conclusion No. 90 (LII) on international protection, which affirmed the intention to pursue, with broadly based participation, follow-up activities stemming from the Global Consultations set out in a joint Executive Committee and UNHCR Agenda for Protection,

(a) Endorses the Agenda for Protection contained in document A/AC.96/965/Add.1, flowing from the Global Consultations process, pursuant to the decision of the Standing Committee at its twenty-fourth meeting;

(b) Recognizes that the Agenda for Protection is a statement of goals and objectives and an important inventory of recommended actions to reinforce the international protection of refugees, and is intended to guide action by States and UNHCR, together with other United Nations organizations, and other inter-governmental as well as non-governmental organizations;

(c) Requests UNHCR to transmit the Agenda for Protection to the General Assembly, as an annex to the report of the fifty-third session of the Executive Committee;

(d) Requests UNHCR also to disseminate the Agenda for Protection widely and to engage partners actively in its follow-up, especially by undertaking further discussion with States, including in the Standing Committee framework, to establish priorities for follow-up activities;

(e) Encourages all concerned actors to implement those activities calling for their action, and to facilitate the work of and cooperate with UNHCR in carrying out its own follow-up activities;

(f) Invites UNHCR and States to seize opportunities to further develop and review elements of the Agenda for Protection, as implementation progresses;

(g) Invites States to cooperate with UNHCR in monitoring the progress in the implementation of the Agenda for Protection by all concerned partners;

(h) Calls on UNHCR, with the cooperation of States and other actors, to keep the Executive Committee informed, through its Standing Committee, of the progress achieved and initiatives taken to implement the Agenda for Protection.