On ‘massive’ resettlement programs

Via the BBC — [Antonio Guterres] called for the numbers of refugees being resettled in Europe to be increased. “We are encouraged by the fact that a number of European countries have been saying, and I believe this is on the table to the European Council, that a massive resettlement programme needs to be put […]

On 2014 Statistical Yearbook

UNHCR just released their 2014 Statistical Yearbook. From chapter 3, durable solutions and new displacement — The number of countries admitting refugees for resettlement has remained relatively stagnant in recent years. Likewise, the number of available resettlement places has not grown significantly. These trends are in contrast to the number of resettlement claims, which continues […]

On workshops: Power and Influence in the Global Refugee Regime @ Carleton

Carleton University hosted the Power and Influence in the Global Refugee Regime workshop 23-25 September 2015. From the event page, This workshop brings together a prominent group of scholars, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss the ability of different actors to influence outcomes within the global refugee regime.

On pushback to stronger border controls

Jørgen Carling in NRK discussing smuggling — De som ønsker å søke om asyl, må levere asylsøknaden på grensen. Grensekontrollen i Sverige førte til at antallet asylsøkere til Norge ble halvert på en uke, sier UDI. – Markedet for menneskesmugling ville blitt borte dersom det eksisterte trygge flyruter til Europa. Men da ville flere ha kommet, […]

On regional tensions

Heightened tensions in the region these days — Norway: via IMDi: 18,000 flyktninger må bosettes i 2016 26.11.15: temporary border controls resume in Norway 80.000 migranter og asylsøkere har ankommet Sverige de siste to månedene. Det svenske mottakssystemet er i ferd med å bryte sammen, og onsdag varslet Sverige derfor tiltak for å redusere tilstrømmingen av […]

On public lectures: Navigating Nakivale @ RCC

Morten Bøås gave a lecture at the Oxford Refugee Studies Centre on “Navigating Nakivale: the borderland economy of a refugee camp” on 13 November 2015. The talk focused on how the combination of conflict + different types of interventions produces outcomes: “what matters is not only the cards you were dealt, but your ability to play them”. […]

On international resettlement conferences

From Reuters: U.N. to hold March summit to resettle, place millions of Syrians — He [Ban Ki-moon] said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees would convene a conference in March to win pledges from countries to resettle or help place those who have been displaced due to the Syria conflict. [..] He said he would […]

On public lectures: Guterres @ Georgetown

News to me: according to John J. DeGioia’s introduction to António Guterres’ lecture at Georgetown on 28 October 2015, Dr. Susan F Martin will be the editor-in-chief of the 2016 ed. of UNHCR’s State of the World’s Refugees. A few quotes from the lecture — (@17:30) On inequality: Guterres: … And, one of the problems is […]

On meetings: Migration Across the Mediterranean

On 30 October 2015, I attended the Migration across the Mediterranean: Challenges and Solutions meeting hosted at Institutt for samfunnsforskning. The timing of the meeting was spot on: halfway through the budget addendum went public, relating specifically to the discussions of the Ministries represented. Also always interesting to hear discussions of more the technical issues […]

On smuggling and securitization

In a discussion posted to Asylum Corner, Pamela DeLargy made an interesting point about smuggling and securitization — Asylum Corner: What is your opinion about the EU determination to focus on fighting the smugglers? Pamela DeLargy: The smugglers are only providing services, there is a demand for their services and they are just offering them. […]