Central America and Mexico reaffirm commitment to address the needs of displaced people in the region
Central America and Mexico reaffirm commitment to address the needs of displaced people in the region
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Member states of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) – Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama – on Tuesday adopted the Declaration of Tegucigalpa, in which they agreed to continue to strengthen the structure and functioning of the MIRPS, reinforce national and local institutions, and foster dialogue and actions for shared responsibility and regional solidarity.
The Declaration, which will be a roadmap for 2023, is a reaffirmation of the commitment by member states five years after the creation of the MIRPS, a regional application of the Global Compact on Refugees which promotes a coordinated response to seek solutions and protection for forcibly displaced people in the region.
During the fifth Annual Meeting of the MIRPS, member states highlighted their achievements in strengthening their asylum systems; developing new national and local policies to prevent, address and respond to forced displacement; and mobilising economic, technical and material resources to support more than 1.3 million people in Central America and Mexico who have been forced to flee.
However, the region continues to face numerous challenges. Displacement across the region has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, violence, insecurity and the effects of climate change.
During the past year, Honduras led the MIRPS as Pro-Tempore Presidency. “We complete our term with great satisfaction for the visible and concrete results we have achieved under the joint commitment of each one of those present here,” said Antonio García, Undersecretary for Consular and Migratory Affairs of the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, encouraged participants to continue to follow the path paved since 2017. “I call on States, development agencies, international financial institutions and the private sector to redouble our efforts to find humane, real and durable solutions. This includes expanding the impact of our interventions and investments in regional development frameworks,” he said.
Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), said: “Count on the OAS to continue building collectively and elevate the MIRPS conversation in strategic policy spaces. Let us continue working on innovative solutions to achieve social impacts and transform the living conditions of all displaced populations.”
At the end of the meeting, Honduras handed over the MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency to Panama, which will assume this role during 2023. The fifth Annual Meeting was co-organized by the UNHCR-OAS Technical Secretariat.
The sustained support of the international community – through the MIRPS Support Platform – has been instrumental in furthering the efforts of the MIRPS member states. During this meeting, as Chair of the Platform, the United States announced that the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) is joining as a new member to contribute to the search for solutions for displaced people in the region.
About the MIRPS:
The Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) includes Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama. The MIRPS is a pioneering mechanism for the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees to encourage regional cooperation among countries of origin, transit, and destination for greater responsibility sharing in matters of prevention, protection, and durable solutions in the face of growing forced displacement in Central America and Mexico. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Organization of American States (OAS) provide support as the MIRPS Technical Secretariat.
About the MIRPS Support Platform:
The MIRPS Support Platform was launched in December 2019 to support the efforts of the MIRPS countries. It aims to leverage support from the broadest possible range of stakeholders. Its current members include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the European Union (EU), France, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, the United States, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank Group, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the Organization of American States (OAS), while UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency serves as the Secretariat.
For more information:
- In Panama, William Spindler, [email protected]
- In Panama, Analía Kim, [email protected]
- In Honduras, Danielle Álvarez, [email protected]
