Global Refugee, Asylum Seeker & Migrant Resettlement Coordination Team
An operational unit of the Humanitarian Efforts Diplomatic Advocacy Division, developing international frameworks for refugee protection, asylum processing, and equitable burden-sharing — ensuring that the 100 million forcibly displaced people worldwide receive the protection they are entitled to under international law and that the responsibility for their care is shared fairly among nations.
Mission & Operational Scope
Protecting the Displaced and Sharing the Responsibility Fairly
The world is experiencing the largest displacement crisis in recorded history. Over 100 million people have been forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, and climate change — more than at any point since World War II. The international refugee protection system, built on the 1951 Refugee Convention, was designed for a different era and is straining under the weight of displacement on this scale. The burden of hosting refugees falls disproportionately on developing nations neighboring conflict zones, while wealthier nations that could absorb more refugees have retreated from their protection obligations. The result is a system that fails both refugees and the communities that host them.
This team develops the international frameworks that strengthen refugee protection, improve asylum processing, and create the equitable burden-sharing arrangements that allow the international community to respond to displacement at scale.
Governing Doctrine
Frameworks & Standards
- 1951 Refugee ConventionConvention Relating to the Status of Refugees — foundational international framework defining refugee status and establishing non-refoulement as a binding obligation
- Global Compact on RefugeesUN Global Compact on Refugees — international framework for burden-sharing, self-reliance, and durable solutions for refugee populations
- Global Compact for MigrationUN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration — international framework for managed migration that protects migrants while addressing state sovereignty concerns
- UNHCR MandateUNHCR mandate — international authority for refugee protection, durable solutions, and statelessness reduction
Operational Capabilities
Six Core Functions
01
Refugee Burden-Sharing Frameworks
Develop international refugee burden-sharing frameworks — establishing the resettlement quota systems, financial contribution mechanisms, and capacity support programs that distribute the responsibility for refugee protection more equitably among nations with the capacity to contribute.
02
Asylum System Quality Standards
Develop international asylum system quality standards — establishing the fair hearing requirements, legal representation standards, and appeal mechanisms that ensure asylum seekers receive the protection they are entitled to under international law regardless of which country they reach.
03
Durable Solutions Diplomacy
Develop diplomatic frameworks for durable solutions — facilitating the voluntary repatriation, local integration, and third-country resettlement arrangements that allow refugees to rebuild their lives rather than remaining in indefinite displacement.
04
Climate Displacement Frameworks
Develop international frameworks for climate displacement — establishing the protection standards, planned relocation protocols, and financial support mechanisms for populations displaced by sea-level rise, desertification, and extreme weather events that existing refugee law does not cover.
05
Statelessness Reduction
Develop international frameworks for statelessness reduction — implementing the 1954 and 1961 Statelessness Conventions, developing nationality law reform standards, and building the civil registration systems that prevent statelessness and provide documentation to those who lack it.
06
Refugee Self-Reliance & Integration
Develop international frameworks for refugee self-reliance and integration — establishing the work authorization standards, education access requirements, and financial inclusion frameworks that allow refugees to contribute economically to host communities rather than remaining dependent on humanitarian assistance.