Humanitarian action for refugees and migrants in countries in North Africa and the Middle East
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text
adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of
the Assembly, on 28 May 2021 (see Doc. 15284, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and
Displaced Persons, rapporteur: Lord Alexander Dundee; and Doc. 15285, opinion of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health
and Sustainable Development, rapporteur: Ms Jennifer De Temmerman).See
also Recommendation 2203
(2021).
1. The Parliamentary Assembly notes
with deep concern the serious humanitarian situation of refugees, migrants
and internally displaced persons in many countries in North Africa
and the Middle East, where they are prone to be victims of violence,
exploitation and human trafficking. This part of the world is a
prime transit region for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers heading
towards Europe, many of whom risk their lives on the Mediterranean
Sea or in dangerous transit countries along the southern Mediterranean
coast, or on the Atlantic when crossing to the Spanish Canary Islands.
2. The United Nations (UN), the African Union and the European
Union are working to improve the humanitarian situation, together
with many private charities and non-governmental organisations and
an enormous number of volunteers. Their work depends largely on
political support and financial aid provided, amongst others, by
member States of the Council of Europe, frequently pledged at international
donor conferences. However, not all these pledges are fully implemented.
3. The Assembly regrets that humanitarian assistance by member
States sometimes lacks close co-ordination between European donor
countries and receiving countries, thus leading to regional inequalities
in the provision of humanitarian assistance as well as less effective
aid. Some countries receive more attention than others, which can
have serious humanitarian consequences. Such regional disparities
put further pressure on migrants and refugees, causing them to move
on into other countries.
4. National parliaments debate and approve national budgets,
including financial aid to foreign countries. Most parliaments have
bilateral or regional contact groups with foreign parliaments. The
Assembly is therefore in a key position to raise awareness among
its individual members and their parliaments and promote concerted
European action. Through its relations with parliaments that have
the status of partner for democracy and relations with other parliaments
in North Africa and the Middle East, the Assembly has a unique possibility to
promote a constructive dialogue on the humanitarian situation and
needs of migrants and refugees in this region at the parliamentary
level.
5. The budget of the Council of Europe does not include funds
for financial aid to non-member States. However, Algeria, Cape Verde,
Morocco and Tunisia are members of the North-South Centre of the
Council of Europe in Lisbon, which aims to facilitate democratic
political transition and helps to promote good governance and reinforce
and enlarge Council of Europe regional action in combating transborder
and global threats. It is in the shared interest of the member States
and the neighbouring countries to continue to create a common legal
area comprising Europe and the southern Mediterranean through the
promotion of Council of Europe conventions, particularly the following:
the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (ETS
No. 30), the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings (CETS No. 197) and the Council of Europe Convention
on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic
Violence (CETS No. 210), as well as of partial agreements, and through
the effective implementation of European and international standards
(such as the UN’s Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
and Convention on the Rights of the Child).
6. The Assembly highly appreciates the central role of the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs as well
as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee of the UN and non-UN stakeholders active
in humanitarian assistance, under the leadership of the UN Under-Secretary-General
for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. National
humanitarian aid should be provided in the framework of such co-ordinated
and targeted action for the individual countries concerned and respond
to the needs assessments established. In this context it is important
that member States and their parliaments closely co-operate with
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM), including with their
field offices in the countries concerned.
7. Member States should assess, together with the UNHCR and the
IOM, the humanitarian needs identified in refugee and other camps
and accommodation, including those for internally displaced persons.
The most vulnerable persons in these places should receive priority
aid and protection against migration-related violence, in particular
sexual violence and human trafficking. Accompanied and unaccompanied
children account for a disproportionately high number of these vulnerable
persons and require special attention so as to protect their best
interests and their right to family reunion.
8. Referring to its
Resolution
2323 (2020) “Concerted action against human trafficking
and the smuggling of migrants”, the Assembly calls on member States
to support the safety and security of migrants, asylum seekers and
refugees in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. In
co-operation with the UNHCR and the IOM, human trafficking must
be eradicated from the camps.
9. Referring to its
Resolution
2299 (2019) “Pushback policies and practice in Council
of Europe member States” and
Resolution
2228 (2018) “Human rights impact of the ‘external dimension’
of European Union asylum and migration policy: out of sight, out
of rights?”, the Assembly recalls the need to improve relocation and
resettlement mechanisms of member States to ease the migratory pressure
on countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The Assembly emphasises
the fact that facilitating resettlement throughout Europe is key
for fairer burden sharing and helps mitigate the unacceptable humanitarian
situation for migrants and asylum seekers in Europe’s bordering
countries. The Assembly also reiterates that front-line member States
should also receive greater support and solidarity, taking into
account the burden they must bear. Furthermore, the Assembly notes
that providing legal pathways for migration helps reduce the risk
of pushbacks in the Mediterranean region and protects the lives
and rights of asylum seekers.
10. Welcoming the voluntary return programmes for rejected asylum
seekers and irregular migrants run by the IOM, which provide individual
aid for reintegration, the Assembly calls on member States to take
into account the additional humanitarian assistance needed in this
context, for the countries of origin as well as host or transit
countries in the region.
11. Recalling its
Resolution
2214 (2018) “Humanitarian needs and rights of internally
displaced persons in Europe”, the Assembly emphasises that the humanitarian
situation of internally displaced persons in North Africa and the
Middle East requires more attention and support. Particular attention
should be given to arbitrarily displaced persons, the majority of
whom, in these regions, are displaced within their own country.
12. Aware of the additional challenges arising from the Covid-19
pandemic, the Assembly recalls its
Resolution 2340 (2020) “Humanitarian
consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic for migrants and refugees”. Member
States should not reduce their humanitarian aid for migrants and
refugees in other countries, in particular in North Africa and the
Middle East. They should try to increase humanitarian aid in order
to reach the targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Furthermore, they should facilitate remittances by migrant workers
and diasporas which contribute to meeting the humanitarian needs
of the recipients in North Africa and the Middle East. Referring
to
Resolution 2361 (2021) “Covid-19
vaccines: ethical, legal and practical considerations”, the Assembly
reiterates its support for the COVAX Facility co-managed by the
World Health Organization, which covers several countries in the
region and is intended to promote fair access to Covid-19 vaccines.
It encourages all member States and neighbouring countries to join
COVAX.
13. The Assembly notes that humanitarian situations differ widely
in countries in North Africa and the Middle East, which requires
more targeted humanitarian aid and assistance for migrants and refugees.
In this regard, the Assembly recommends that member States pay particular
attention to the following situations:
13.1 countries on the North African shore of the Mediterranean
host large numbers of sub-Saharan migrants, many of whom are workers.
Under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the economic
recession has reduced employment opportunities for migrant workers
in these countries, which has led to problems. These countries are
also transit hubs for irregular migration and migrant smuggling
to Europe and, in particular, the European Union, including by their
own nationals. To deal with these two situations, increased aid
is required for both migrants and for asylum seekers. More work is
also required to set up and run efficient asylum systems in a number
of these countries, with the support of the UNHCR. Furthermore,
the European Union has a role to play, including through human rights-compliant
bilateral agreements;
13.2 countries in the Middle East have a long tradition of
hosting migrant workers from neighbouring countries. As a result
of the armed conflicts in Libya and Syria, the number of refugees
and internally displaced persons has increased considerably. Although
very many have returned to their countries and homes, the general
situation in these countries still requires major humanitarian support,
including in the context of ongoing security issues and the Covid-19
pandemic;
13.3 terrorism has affected many countries in North Africa
and the Middle East, which has led to security risks and additional
hardship for migrants and refugees in the region, many of whom have become
victims of terrorism. While terrorism makes humanitarian action
by the international community in these countries dangerous and
difficult, it also means that more assistance is required to protect
the whole population, whether locals, migrants or refugees. When
carrying out humanitarian assessments, particular attention should
be paid to specific needs arising from terrorist threats. The Assembly
refers to
Resolution
2321 (2020) “International obligations concerning the
repatriation of children from war and conflict zones” and its deep
concern regarding the worrying situation of children in Syria and
in Iraq whose parents, believed to be affiliated with Daesh, are
citizens of Council of Europe member States. As in January 2020,
and faced with the failure to act, the Assembly calls for these
children to be repatriated as soon as possible;
13.4 countries which have readmission agreements for irregular
migrants require additional support for their reintegration. The
same applies for voluntary return programmes for migrants and rejected asylum
seekers. Member States should assess and provide the additional
humanitarian aid required for these returnees and the communities
to which they belong.
14. The Assembly refers to
Resolution
1524 (2006) “The need for greater transparency in the
arms trade” in which it asked member States to ensure “the highest
possible level of … accountability”. The Assembly calls on member
States to take serious action against arms trafficking and to restrict
the sale of arms, which has permanently destabilised several countries
in Europe’s southern neighbourhood.
15. The Assembly calls on the member States’ parliaments to ensure
a parliamentary dimension in all decisions concerning the provision
of humanitarian assistance for migrants and refugees in North Africa
and the Middle East. Interparliamentary co-operation within the
Assembly could also play an important role in this context, actively
involving partners for democracy as well as the African Union in
devising policies for the humanitarian needs and human rights of
refugees and migrants. The Assembly calls on parliaments to increase
the share of unearmarked or lightly earmarked national contributions
to humanitarian organisations as well as the multiyear funding.
16. Welcoming the work of the North-South Centre of the Council
of Europe over many years, the Assembly invites member States to
work much more with the centre, including on the most pressing humanitarian
needs of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in North Africa and
the Middle East.
17. Recalling that several countries in North Africa and the Middle
East are members of the European Commission for Democracy through
Law (Venice Commission), the Assembly invites those countries to
review their national legislation regarding migrants, asylum seekers
and refugees in accordance with human rights and international refugee
protection standards.
