Refugee Protection in the Caribbean
UNHCR, the UN Ref-
ugee Agency, recently
applauded the Govern-
ment of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for its leadership role
hosting the second meeting of the Caribbean Migration Consulta-
tions (CMC), a regional platform developed to address common
challenges related to increasing flows of refugees and migrants ar-
riving in the region. “Close cooperation among the countries of
the Caribbean is the key to addressing flows of refugees and
migrants in ways that are safe and humane, and the Caribbean
region is setting standards for other parts of the world in its ap-
proach to this issue,” said Matthew Reynolds, UNHCR Regional
Representative for the United States and the Caribbean.
At the two-day meeting on December 5-6, delegations from 18 countries, CARICOM, the CARICOM Implementing Agency for Crime and Securi-
ty, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration discussed developments in the region related to refugee protection and statelessness.
Country delegates described the progress made over the last year, including good practices in developing refugee legislation and standard oper-
ating procedures, alternatives to immigration detention, the integration of refugees into host communities, and the development of innova-
tive approaches among diverse stakeholders to respond to large-scale forced displacement. UNHCR presented a Checklist for a Compre-
hensive Asylum System, and provided an overview of identity management and registration mechanisms.
Consistent with global trends, a rising number of people fleeing life-threatening violence and persecution have sought protection in the Caribbean in
recent years. The registered population of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region has risen by more than 50 percent from January 2017 to No-
vember 2017, underscoring the urgency for governments to develop coordinated policies that effectively address new challenges, such as forced dis-
placement as a result of natural disasters. “The countries and communities that receive and host refugees are the mainstays of the international pro-
tection regime, and their generosity is truly remarkable,” said UNHCR’s Reynolds.
For more information on this topic, please contact: Gary Seidman, [email protected], +202 461 2346