Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus Addressing Forced Displacement

Statement delivered by Asako Okai at the Global Refugee Forum- Development and HDP Nexus Addressing Forced Displacement

December 17, 2019

It has become a common recognition that displacement is a complex challenge, which cannot be addressed by a purely humanitarian perspective. In recent years, we see some shifts that help us address forced displacement in a more holistic manner:

  • First, the prevention agenda, which is very high on the Secretary General’s agenda.
  • Second, the momentum around the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus especially with the recently issued OECD DAC Recommendations.
  • Third, the SDGs Decade of Action starting in 2020 to generate solutions and accelerate action to address systemic gaps in SDG implementation.

All these call for more deliberate, concerted and predictable efforts, conducted jointly by humanitarian, development and peacebuilding actors.

Together with governments and partners, UNDP works in over 40 countries to advance sustainable development solutions for refugees and host communities. Adapted to the country context, this can entail:

Addressing root causes;

  • Ensuring inclusion of refugees in sustainable development planning at national, local and sector-specific levels;
  • Supporting them to cope, recover and sustain development gains; and
  • Building pathways for solutions, addressing conditions for voluntary return and sustainable reintegration in countries of origin.

Let me highlight a few key progresses that we have achieved toward collective outcomes through partnership:

  • Advocacy and support to foster the inclusion of refugees and IDPs into national planning and service delivery has advanced, as we have heard from the Honourable Minister of Uganda and also as observed in the Syria, Sudan and Somalia Situations;
  • In Yemen, we collaborate with the World Bank to respond to the humanitarian crisis through empowering local capacities for service delivery and livelihoods.
  • Localized solutions are being developed to address specific needs. In Northern Nigeria, UNDP and UNHCR are working together with the government on rule of law, justice and security, and strengthening of local institutions. UNDP also partnered with JICA to empower and restore means of livelihoods for victims of Boko Haram insurgency.
  • Together with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and other partners, UNDP is scaling up capacities for conflict-sensitive assessments, data and analysis to inform strategic, multi-year development planning and programming;

 In order to accelerate and scale up the progress thus far, UNDP decided to commit at the Global Refugee Forum to the following integrated solutions in 40 countries with displacement situations:

  • Ensure tailored development, prevention and peacebuilding approaches in 20 countries to address root causes of forced displacement;
  • Strengthen refugee solutions in 20 countries through support to preparing and responding to refugee inflows; Rule of Law institutions, access to justice, and safety, security and human rights protection systems; and
  • Promote decent work and self-reliance of refugees in 20 countries, leveraging on UNDP’s digital transformation agenda to build tomorrow’s skills today.

Working with partners we hope to contribute in reducing the protracted displacement trend by half by 2030, in line with the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit commitment, in at least 30 countries.

Good things happen when people come and work together as proven by this Global Refugee Forum. In the coming SDGs Decade of Action, forced displacement must end. I look forward to fruitful exchanges and learning during today’s session.