Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa gain support on international refugee law

Luanda, Angola – Today, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Catholic University of Angola (UCAN), in collaboration with the International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges (IARMJ), opened the Lusophone Centre of Excellence for training in international refugee and statelessness law in Luanda. Developed in partnership with UCAN's Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship and IARMJ, the initiative seeks to enhance technical knowledge on asylum and statelessness law in the six Portuguese-speaking countries on the African continent (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, and Mozambique).

The Centre of Excellence will offer specialized training programmes for judges, lawyers, officials, policymakers, and academics. The first training is scheduled to take place from 25 to 28 November and will feature sessions led by esteemed judges from Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa, among other countries. The first sessions include topics such as the legal definition of a refugee, exclusion from refugee status and special procedures for vulnerable groups. Fifty judges, prosecutors, lawyers, officials and decision makers from Angola and Mozambique are taking part to the training.

“For the first time, international refugee law training can reach mainly Portuguese speakers and this is instrumental in expanding knowledge of such important human rights instruments,” said Judge Dunstan Mlambo, President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa and Chair of the African Chapter of IARMJ, who attended the inauguration of the Centre.

The opening of the Centre by the Catholic University of Angola is an example of the Global Compact on Refugees in action, which encourages support for refugee solutions from various sectors, including academia.

“The establishment of this Centre reinforces the commitment of UNHCR and its partners to enhance protection for refugees and stateless persons. By equipping officials, lawyers and the judiciary with essential knowledge and tools, UNHCR and UCAN are laying the foundation for stronger, fairer and more efficient asylum systems and help to prevent statelessness,” said Emmanuelle Mitte, UNHCR’s Representative in Angola.

According to the Magnificent Rector of the Catholic University of Angola, Dr. Maria da Assunção, "the Lusophone Center of Excellence represents an opportunity to expand knowledge through platforms developed in collaboration with other institutions specializing in refugee rights and related matters, aiming to promote legal literacy and equal access to justice for vulnerable groups."

Participants from Angola and Mozambique joined the inaugural training session, expanding their understanding of the complex legal issues surrounding refugee and statelessness cases and promoting the practical application of legal protection. Over 80,000 refugees and asylum-seekers are hosted in these countries as of mid-2024.

ENDS

For more information on this topic, please contact:

In Luanda, Camila Ignacio Geraldo, [email protected], +244 938 419 741

In Brasilia, Miguel Pachioni, [email protected], +55 61 9914 4049