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The Middle East

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The Middle East The Middle East Recent developments our situations shape UNHCR’s programme in Fthe Middle East: the unabated flow of asylum- seekers and migrants from the Horn of Africa to Yemen; the Sudan situation and its impact on Egypt, the Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) and Jordan; the Iraq situation and its impact on surrounding Bahrain countries hosting Iraqis; and the impact on host countries of the exceptionally protracted situation Egypt of Palestinian refugees. Iraq The Middle East has been a generous host to Israel refugees for decades, yet national security con- Jordan cerns in the region are testing States’ tradition- ally tolerant attitude towards refugees and Kuwait asylum-seekers. At the same time, there has been Lebanon some reluctance on the part of resettlement countries, since the events of 11 September 2001, Oman to accept refugees for resettlement from the Middle Qatar East. Saudi Arabia Voluntary repatriation is a limited option for the Syrian Arab Republic major refugee groups in the Middle East until a political solution is achieved in the countries of United Arab Emirates origin, involving sufficient stability to allow for a Yemen secure and dignified return. The Middle East Meanwhile, the Middle East is continuing to other persons of concern in the region. Where receive more asylum-seekers. Since the 2003 Iraq States have acceded to the 1951 Refugee Con- war, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have received a vention and its 1967 Protocol, efforts now need to steady flow of Iraqis who are currently covered be directed at improving the practical implemen- under the temporary protection regime. Week by tation of the Convention, through the establish- week, as more Somali asylum-seekers and ment of national legislation and structures to migrants risk the dangerous sea crossing to manage refugee and asylum issues. UNHCR will Yemen at the hands of people smugglers, many continue to advocate for other States to accede deaths at sea go unreported. Yemen continues to to the 1951 Refugee Convention and Protocol. accept generously approximately 1,000 Somali UNHCR will also gradually strengthen its own pro- and Ethiopian asylum-seekers per month. tection capacity in the region to better support Governments and civil society institutions. UNHCR will seek to address the refugee situation in the Middle East with an increase in funding for Working in close cooperation with the United assistance programmes in Yemen to meet the Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and all needs of the most vulnerable, and an increase in concerned stakeholders in the Middle East, protection staffing in the region to bolster internal UNHCR will strive to further address the protection and external protection work, as well as capacity- problems faced by Palestinians living outside building efforts. UNRWA’s areas of operations. Progress towards political solutions will in time Strategic objectives open up humanitarian solutions for refugees in the Middle East. UNHCR will support durable solutions for Somali refugees in Yemen through UNHCR will support States to strengthen the pro- the framework of the Comprehensive Plan of tection space for refugees, asylum-seekers and Action. The Office will continue to support the 227 UNHCR Global Appeal 2006 TheMiddleEast Jordan: A UNHCR community services staff member with an Iraqi family living in Ruwaished camp. UNHCR / M. Cierna reintegration of Iraqis who have chosen to return problem preclude substantive discussion of such to Iraq through the establishment of community- issues. based projects in returnee areas, recognizing that obstacles to return are significant and that some Iraqis may be returning to a situation of further Operations internal displacement. Legal work on resolving the status of stateless persons, documentation and property issues, will support sustainable solutions It is 25 years since Egypt ratified the 1951 Refugee for returnees and displaced persons in Iraq and Convention and its 1967 Protocol. While its obser- the region. vance of the principle of non-refoulement has been admirable over the years, Egypt has maintained UNHCR cannot achieve results alone; the Office important reservations to the Convention and will work to strengthen complementary partner- these affect the situation of refugees (personal ships with governmental and established civil status, access to primary education, public relief society partners such as the League of Arab and assistance, social security and labour legis- States and the Organization of the Islamic lation). UNHCR will continue working with the Conference, as well as reaching out to new part- Government of Egypt towards withdrawing the ners such as universities and important public fig- reservations and adopting domestic refugee leg- ures. There will be a renewed focus on public islation and structures to support national refugee information and external relations activities to status determination in accordance with its raise awareness amongst governments and civil obligations as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee society institutions on refugee issues and the role Convention. It has been over 50 years since of UNHCR. It is a challenge in the subregion to try UNHCR established an office in Egypt, but to put asylum issues firmly on the agenda when UNHCR still registers asylum-seekers and conducts national security concerns and the Palestinian refugee status determination, and would like to UNHCR Global Appeal 2006 228 encourage and support the authorities to gradu- refugees will be in need of resettlement). UNHCR ally take over these activities. Egypt is host to is planning self-reliance programmes for urban around 70,000 Palestinian refugees and over refugees (these are designed to benefit host com- 20,000 refugees from Sudan and Somalia, mainly munities so as to ease tensions). Activities for in urban areas. UNHCR will continue to provide camp-based refugees are also planned, to ease assistance only to the most vulnerable refugees, the effects of confinement, although opportuni- including refugees with HIV/AIDS, targeting assis- ties for self-reliance are limited. A regional tance through the new UNHCR multifunctional approach is required to achieve comprehensive gender and age teams established in 2005 in partner- solutions for Iraqis in Jordan and other countries ship with NGOs. The main beneficiaries of UNHCR’s in the region as they face common obstacles to resettlement programme will remain refugee return. A comprehensive approach is also women-at-risk, survivors of torture, disabled or required for Iranian Kurdish refugees who for traumatized refugees for whom treatment is unavail- many years were in Al Tash camp in central Iraq able in Egypt, and separated children for whom but fled during and after the war due to insecu- resettlement is found to be in their best interest. In rity. Some of the group are now in Ruwayshed view of political progress in Sudan, refugee status camp in Jordan. UNHCR will continue working determination for Sudanese asylum-seekers has with the Government of Jordan in 2006 to pro- been suspended, although all Sudanese asylum- mote accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention seekers are provided with identity documentation and the 1967 Protocol, exploring the possibility of with an entitlement to apply for a six-month support for the creation of a national registration renewable residence permit. UNHCR will support system for refugees, and supporting relevant the voluntary repatriation of refugees from south- ministries’ practical efforts to protect and assist ern Sudan. refugees and other persons of concern in Jordan. The Middle East UNHCR has an Honorary Representation in Israel The law in Lebanon does not ignore refugee to support the Government with the registration issues but it still lacks a legal definition of a refugee. and status determination of asylum-seekers in UNHCR will continue to carry out activities to the absence of national refugee legislation. The enhance awareness of international refugee law Office will explore the possibility, through train- and asylum procedures among the authorities and ing sessions and workshops, of involving the civil society institutions. Lebanon is host to over authorities in the practical application of asylum 400,000 Palestinian refugees (covered by the man- procedures, presently dealt with by UNHCR. It will date of UNRWA), and efforts to encourage Lebanon also explore areas of legislation to enhance the to accede to the 1951 Refugee Convention are protection of asylum-seekers and refugees (such constrained by this situation. Lebanon does not as asylum-seeker visas, border procedures, and wish to be regarded as a country of asylum nor to amendments to social security legislation) in the promote the integration of refugees in view of absence of fully-fledged national refugee the implications for the Palestinian situation. legislation. Lebanon is also host to Iraqi refugees covered by the temporary protection regime and to Sudanese Jordan has demonstrated a high level of toler- refugees. Iraqi and Sudanese asylum-seekers ance towards Iraqi refugees and migrants on its registered with UNHCR reside mostly in urban territory, and currently hosts some 250,000 Iraqis, areas, have no right to work and are largely most of whom arrived before the war in 2003 and dependent on the Office’s assistance. For most are now covered by the temporary protection regime. refugees in Lebanon, local integration is not an Jordan is also host to over 1.7 million Palestinian option and until conditions improve in Iraq and refugees (covered by the mandate of UNRWA). allow for voluntary repatriation, resettlement is Most Iraqis in Jordan are in urban areas, putting the most realistic durable solution. pressure on social infrastructure, yet return is a limited option for many, and opportunities for Neither Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, resettlement are also limited (in 2006, it is Oman nor the United Arab Emirates are signa- expected that 1,700 Iraqi and 185 non-Iraqi tories to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 229 UNHCR Global Appeal 2006 Protocol. UNHCR will therefore continue to work Convention, following positive signals in 2005.
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