Italy-Albania Protocol - UNHCR to undertake monitoring activities to safeguard and promote fundamental human rights

In line with its mandate under international law to supervise the application of the 1951 Refugee Convention and provide protection for refugees, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will monitor the implementation of the Italy-Albania Protocol, to help ensure that the Protocol is implemented in a manner that safeguards the rights and dignity of those subject to it.

UNHCR was not a party to the negotiation and development of the Protocol and has requested, including in the Italian Parliament, clarification on some aspects of the Protocol. In recent meetings, the Italian government has provided further information on the implementation of the Protocol and reiterated its strong desire that it be in line with international law and standards.

Based on an exchange of letters with the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the UN Refugee Agency will therefore undertake a role of monitoring and counselling to the people to ensure that the right to seek asylum is protected and that the processes put in place under the Protocol are consistent with relevant international and regional human rights standards, are fair, and promote protection and solutions for those in need of international protection.

In its monitoring role, with an initial duration of 3 months, UNHCR will seek to improve the protection of asylum seekers and refugees by identifying and reporting to the competent authorities any inconsistencies with international human rights and refugee law and good practice standards, and advocate for enhanced protection safeguards.

Through this monitoring process, UNHCR will call on the parties to the Protocol to ensure that the modalities of its implementation do not result in the externalization of asylum obligations and responsibility-shifting, which are contrary to international law.

At the end of the 3-month period UNHCR will make available its recommendations to the Italian government and other interested actors.

UNHCR’s priority remains the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers, which is the reason for UNHCR’s monitoring engagement. This responsibility is at the core of UNHCR’s mandate, which the Agency has been carrying out all over the world for over 70 years, even in the most difficult and complex situations.

To address any concerns regarding the independence of its monitoring function, UNHCR will carry out the monitoring activities with funding from sources other than the parties involved.

• Filippo Ungaro, [email protected], +39 335 6794746
• Federico Fossi, [email protected], +39 349 0843461
• Barbara Molinario, [email protected], +39 338 5462932