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Resettlement is one of the Buiable Solutions
1
anu an impoitant tool foi
the Inteinational Piotection. It uoes involve the selection anu tiansfei of
iefugees fiom the countiy in which they sought asylum to anothei State that has
agieeu to take them as iefugees, to giant them peimanent settlement anu the
oppoitunity foi eventual citizenship
2
. The action of iesettlement uoes not
constitute a iight itself anu because theie is no obligation fiom the ieceiving
countiies to accept iefugees thiough iesettlement, then the applications foi this
solution uepenu ultimately on the aumission ciiteiia of the Resettlement State.
Bue to this ieason, the expiession of inteinational soliuaiity anu iesponsibility
shaiing mechanism emeiging as consequence of iesettlement take special
impoitance.
Responsibility shaiing anu inteinational soliuaiity can be bioauly
exploieu within the Latin-Ameiican context. This iegion, constantly assaulteu by
violence waves anu social tiansitions, is wheie impoitant iates of iefugees anu
inteinal uisplaceu peisons (IBPs) can be founueu. In 2uu4 the "Nexico Plan of
Action" (NPA) was auopteu as an institutional iegional effoit to face the
situation. In the piesent essay will be questioneu to what extent was the "Nexico
Plan of Action" a step in a shift in the iesettlement paiauigm towaius the

1
Even consiueieu as the "last wanteu" uuiable solution, it shaies the same hieiaichy with the
othei solutions of voluntaiy iepatiiation anu local integiation. (Speech by the 0niteu Nations
Bigh Commissionei foi Refugees, Sauako 0gata, at the Annual Tiipaitite Consultations on
Resettlement helu in ueneva, }une 1997.) Neveitheless, it is inueeu the last iesouice in uuiable
solutions since it comes into application once the othei two solutions aie not possible to be
executeu.
2
UNHCR, Resettlement Handbook. Chapter I Resettlement within UNHCRs Mandate: International
protection and the search ofor durable solutions (July de 2011). Page 9.

4
constiuction of an institutionalizeu iegional fiamewoik iegaiuing iesettlement
iefuges. In oiuei to answei that, what the conception of iesettlement was within
the iegion was befoie the implementation of the NPA was anu an assessment of
the success of it will be uone.
3&,&++%&4&*+!1'*+&5+!#*/!6#+2*!74&.21#!
The Colombian anu Cential Ameiican conflicts must be consiueieu evei
that the concept of iefugees is auuiesseu in the Latin Ameiican context since
those aie the main souice of iefugees anu inteinally uisplaceu peisons in the
iegion. The Colombian conflict in simple woius can be chaiacteiizeu as a
stiuggle between the conseivative anu libeial foices since the inuepenuence of
the countiy, which leaueu to constant violence waves. The two most impoitant
aie La violencia anu El Bogotazo between 194u's anu 196u's. This situation was
not impioveu by the involvement of uiug caitels anu geneializeu coiiuption in
the goveinment in the late 197us anu 198us. By 2uu7 the numbei of iefugees
anu IBPs as collateial effect of the ciisis was ovei S million people
S
. 0n the othei
hanu the Cential Ameiican gueiiilla wais of the 196us anu 198u's also meant a
impoitant souice of foiceu migiation between the countiies of the subiegion.
The alaiming numbei of iefugees conveiteu the national ciisis into a
iegional issue. Neighbouiing countiies hosteu almost 8u% of the iefugees
4
in the
case of the Colombian conflict. It means that those countiies weie taking
consiueiably moie iesponsibility as inteinational suppoit than the othei Latin
countiies. Costa Rica anu Ecuauoi aie countiies with the highei iates of asylum

S
UNHCR, UNHCR 2009 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced
and Stateless Persons (Geneva, 10 de June de 2010).
4
UNHCR, UNHCR, 2007 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced
and Stateless Persons (Geneva, 2 de June de 2008).
S
in the iegion
S
. The issue was then seen as a pioblem anu buiuen consequence of
foiceu migiation oiiginateu by instable goveinments anu the lack of capacity
ovei migiatoiy policies. 0n the othei hanu, an impoitant featuie of the iefugees
coming fiom these conflicts is a changing piofile. Bue to the conflicts weie baseu
on gueiiilla techniques, theie was a constant bluiiing between combatants anu
non-combatants uuiing the conflict, in cleai violation of the piinciple of
uistinction unuei Inteinational Bumanitaiian Law
6
.
The laige numbei of iefugees, the changing piofile anu the piecaiious
situation of civilians weie the base to auopt a change in the paiauigm of buiuen
that coveieu the iefugee situation. A iegional concept of the iefugee uefinition
was auopteu in 198u's uuiing the Beclaiation of Caitagena, with the main
chaiacteiistic of being a humanitaiian one
7
. This concept uoes not intiouuce new
ciiteiia within the inuiviuualizeu conventional uefinition, iathei is baseu on the
objective situation anu social political enviionment of the countiy of oiigin. The
iecognition of status occuis iegaiuless of inuiviuual attiibutes of the one
neeuing piotection unlike in the tiauitional univeisal ciiteiia applieu since
19S1
8
. This concept being baseu on the piotection of human iights became the
fiist step on the cieation of a new cultuie of the iefugee peiception by the iegion.
7/'8+2'*!'(!+9&!:;7!
In Novembei 2uu4 twenty countiies in the iegion auopteu the NPA,
auuiessing iefugees anu IBP, focusing on uiban settings anu maiginalizeu

S
UNHCR, Mexico Plan of Action: The impact of regional solidarity (San Jos: Editorama, 2007).
6
Liliana Lyara Jubiut and Wellington Pereira Carneiro, Resettlement in Solidarity: a new regiolan
approach towards a more humane durable solution, Refugee Law 30.3 (2011): 63-86. Page 66.
7
The uefinition is baseu upon the 1969 0iganization of Afiican 0nity Convention uoveining the
Specific Aspets of Refugee Pioblems in Afiica anu by the 1969 Ameiican Convention on Buman
Rights.
8
Liliana Lyara Jubiut and Wellington Pereira Carneiro, note 6. Page 66.
6
boiuei aieas. It can be chaiacteiizeu as a ieaffiimation of the commitment fiom
the Latin Ameiican countiies to the so-calleu "spiiit of Caitagena", since it uoes
offei a humanitaiian appioach ieplacing the common policy of closeu boiueis
towaius the iefugees situation.
The NPA is compiiseu of two main components: 1) piotection anu 2) a
uuiable solutions which, in tuin, is uiviueu in thiee main elements, "cities of
soliuaiity", "boiueis of soliuaiity", anu "iesettlement in soliuaiity". "Cities of
Soliuaiity" basically hau the aim of impioving iefugees' local integiation in uiban
settings. "Boaiueis of Soliuaiity" was maue up of two main concepts. 0n the one
hanu, it concentiateu on the iefugee population by establishing that: a)
safeguaius to asylum seekeis have to be in place in the boiueis, anu b) boiuei
officials have to be tiaineu in a way to ensuie access to auequate pioceuuies anu
iespect foi human iights. 0n the othei hanu, it focuseu on the population of the
aieas ieceiving iefugees. In a context wheie aimeu militias weie infiltiating
neighboiing countiies, it was a veiy innovative anu uaiing appioach
9
.
In its Chaptei S, point S, the NPA establishes its Regional "Soliuaiity
Resettlement" Piogiamme. This piogiamme "opens the possibility foi any Latin
Ameiican countiy, at the oppoitune time, to paiticipate anu to ieceive iefugees
who aie in othei Latin Ameiican countiies"
1u
. This piogiamme is a call to
tiansfoim Latin Ameiican policies iegaiuing settlements, specifically the South
Ameiican pait as consequence of the Colombian conflict.
The "Soliuaiity Resettlement" can be chaiacteiizeu as a stiategic use of
iesettlement since it uoes maximize the effects of the iesettlement by benefiting

9
Liliana Lyara Jubiut and Wellington Pereira Carneiro, note 6. Page 74.
1u
Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action to Strengthen the International Protection of Refugees in
Latin America, (Mexico, 2004). Page 11.
7
the piotection iegime in the iegion
11
. It uoes allow maintain a open space foi
asylum in the thiee countiies which highest iates of asylum-seekeis anu
iefugees
12
, but also the cieation of a suppoit netwoik between countiies by
financial means. The piogiamme is suppoiteu fiom establisheu iesettlement
countiies to consoliuate the piogiamme itself anu to builu the capacity of new
iesettlement countiies
1S
. This, in othei woius, implies intei-goveinmental
collaboiation in vaiious levels that in the long iun means local integiation
iegaiuing schemes of iefugee iesettlement, exchange of knowleuge anu
piactices, anu stiongei basis foi the intei-iegional piotection of iefugees.
"9&!19#*<&!
Latin Ameiica, in contiast to Euiope, uoes not uistinguish itself by being a
iegion of union towaius ceitain situations although its countiies shaie cultuial
basis anu language. When analyzing the consequences of the implementation of
the NPA, one can iealize that it is innovative not only by its pioposals
themselves, but also because establishes a paiauigm of collaboiation among
countiies iegaiuing a pioblem that has affecteu the iegion by many yeais: the
foiceu migiation. These impacts have set a uiffeient context in the spheie of
iesettlement in the iegion: not only the neighbouiing countiies ueal with the
phenomena, theie is an institutional anu legal fiamewoik unuei uevelopment
anu the constiuction of basis foi uuiable solutions in the long iun assuiing then
the ieconstiuction of a noimal life foi the iesettleu iefugees.

11
"Stiategic use of iesettlement": planneu use of iesettlement in a mannei that maximizes the
benefits, uiiectly oi inuiiectly, othei than those ieceiveu by the iefugee being iesettleu. Those
benefits may acciue to othei iefugees, the hosting State, othei States oi the Inteinational
piotection iegime in geneial. UNHCR, The strategic use of resettlement (3 de June de 2003).
12
Costa Rica, Ecuauoi anu venezuela. UNHCR, Resettlement Handbook. Chapter II - The evolution
of resettlement (July de 2011). Page 66.
1S
Iuem.
8
The main change that the NPA establishes is the conception of
Inteinational soliuaiity. When explaining the "Soliuaiity Resettlement" it points
out that this piogiamme is not a "buiuen-shaiing" but as a uuty ueiiving fiom
this kinu of soliuaiity
14
. In the fielu of Inteinational Refugee Law, soliuaiity is
paiamount since constitutes the coie of the iesponsibility assumeu by the
inteinational community towaius iefugees
1S
. Institutionalizing, thiough a
iegional uocument, this innovative conception also means an institutional
change in the paiauigm of shaiing iesponsibilities between Latin countiies. It is
a tiansfoimation iegaiuing the way of iefugee piotection anu the iefugees
themselves aie peiceiveu; this iuea of soliuaiity shifts them fiom being a
"pioblem of foiceu migiation" to a "shaieu iesponsibility" foi piotect the victims
of violations in theii human iights
16
.
A seconu gieat consequence in piactices, coming fiom the
implementation of the NPA, is the ciiteiia fiom emeiging iesettlement countiies
to ieceive people. Although they still applying the basic iequiiements
17
, contiaiy
to the tiauitional piactice they uo not uefine quotas. Which means that the policy
of "open boaiueis" is in its total extension, only limiteu by the availability on
economic iesouices since the iesettlement in the iegion iequiie exteinal
economic suppoit. This illustiates then that one of the baiiieis iegaiuing the
situation of iefugees has been oveicome; it is not a political issue but a financial
one. Neveitheless, the seconu baiiiei mentioneu can also be saiu to being

14
Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action to Strengthen the International Protection of Refugees in
Latin America, (Mexico, 2004). Page 11.
1S
Liliana Lyara Jubiut and Wellington Pereira Carneiro, note 6.
16
See note 7.
17
To be submitteu foi iesettlement, inuiviuuals oi families must meet the pieconuitions 1) the
applicant has to be ueteimineu to be a iefugee by the 0NBCR anu 2) the piospects foi a uuiable
soltions weie assesseu anu iesettlement was iuentifieu as the most appiopiiate one anu fall
unuei one oi moie of the 0NBCR iesettlement categoiies. UNHCR, Note 2. Page S6.
9
auuiesseu since the soliuaiity in the Piogiamme also is uiiecteu towaius
suppoit between goveinments in financial means
18
.
Thiiuly, the achievements got by the NPA aie consequence of the cieation
anu consoliuation of piotection netwoiks incluuing vaiiety of actois:
goveinmental levels, civil society membeis, acauemics, community leaueis anu
otheis
19
. This implies that the task of implementing a uuiable solution uoes not
fall anymoie only unuei the scope of the tiauitional bouies. The spiiit of
soliuaiity has then gone beyonu the Stately spheie anu has impacteu the lowei
oiganizational ciicles, which in any case can have gieatei impact ovei the
piactical necessities of iesettlement iefugees. This action also allows the
uecentialization of tasks, when speaking in goveinmental levels, which iesults in
an inciement of the geneial level of piotection in the iegion anu ensuies a
iegional piepaiation befoie eventual ciisis.
Fuitheimoie, the application of the NPA has meant also the auaptation of
policies by goveinments uue to ceitain chaiacteiistics. By enfoicing the element
of "soliuaiity", the political implications of this new iesettlement mouel ueiive
on an ethical aspect that woulu seive as guiuelines foi migiatoiy policies anu
theii legislation iegaiuing iefugees. Ecuauoi, Bolivia anu the Bominican
Republic have incoipoiateu the "iight of asylum" in theii nacional constitutions.
New legislation on iefugees has been auopteu in Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia,
Nicaiagua, Aigentina, 0iuguay anu Nexico. This means that all countiiies paities
to Inteinational iefugee instiuments have also inteinal iules on the mattei,

18
UNHCR, note 12. Page 66.
19
UNHCR, note 5. Page 6.
1u
which iepiesents a significant change in the legal fiamewoik foi iefugee
piotection
2u
.
As can be seen fiom the uevelopeu points, the implementation of the NPA
has signifieu an impoitant step towaius the constiuction of new iegional
piactices iegaiuing the iesettlement of iefugees. The piogiam of iesettling also
pioviues an auaptation component, meaning that all the iesettleu iefugees aie
given subsistence suppoit, geneially uuiing one yeai, anu access to euucation
anu health
21
. Language is not a baiiiei in this case, fact that facilitates the
integiation. The Befinition of Caitagena, as founuational step in the iueology of
iefugees in Latin Ameiica, anu the latei application of the NPA, as piactical
guiuelines of action, can be consiueieu to be the motois in a shift in the
iesettlement paiauigm towaius the constiuction of an institutionalizeu iegional
fiamewoik. The NPA has cleaily contiibuteu to the legislative, iueology anu
piactical components of the iesettlement in Latin Ameiica; not to mention to the
soliuaiity between nations.
)'*1%0,2'*,!
The way of auuiessing the iesettlement of iefugees in Latin Ameiica has
change ovei the time. This shift in view commenceu by the auoption of a
humanitaiian appioach by the uefinition in the Caitagena Beclaiation.
Afteiwaius, anu uue to the iegional ciisis that political conflicts weie oiiginating,
the pioposal anu implementation of the NPA openeu moie possibilities by its
components of piotection anu uuiable solutions. The uesign if this Plan of Action

2u
UNHCR, The Mexico Plan of Action to Strenthen International Protection of Refugees in Latin
America. Main Achirevementis and Challenges 2005-2010, 2010.
21
UNHCR, note 5.
11
auuiesses meiely iegional pioblems, such as the changing piofile of iefugees anu
the laige numbeis of uisplaceu people.
Foui aie the main contiibutions of the NPA to the new peispective of
iesettlement in the iegion. In fiist place, anu moie impoitantly, it uoes change
the iuea of "buiuen" to "shaie iesponsibility" towaius the piotection of human
uignity of those in neeu. It uoes establish changes in the ciiteiia of iesettlement,
encouiageu the constiuction of piotection netwoiks involving uiffeient social
actois anu was the motoi of legislative changes in the national oiuei. It is also
impoitant to consiuei that pait of the success of the NPA uepenus on the laige
common cultuial base of the Latin Ameiican countiies anu the lack of impoitant
language baiiieis in the iegion.
The NPA was, uefinitely, a step in a shift in the iesettlement paiauigm
towaius the constiuction of an institutionalizeu iegional fiamewoik iegaiuing
iesettlement iefuges. In can be consiuei to be so to the extent to be tiiggei
mechanism of vaiious othei effects that can impact on the long iun, the
involvement of new actois in the iesettlement piocess foi example. Soliuaiity
anu coopeiation towaius a iegional pioblem, in a iegion that compaiatively to
otheis is easiei to auuiess uue to the lack of impoitant cultuial uiffeiences, is the
key not only iegaiuing migiatoiy, iefugee anu iesettlement issues. These two
factois can have effects in the long iun benefiting not only those in neeu, but also
the ieceptive countiies anu ultimately the inteinational oiuei way of thinking.
An innovation uoes not come only fiom the theoietical impact, but always come
by the social effects that uictate public policies.


12
=2$%2'<.#89>!

Lyaia }ubiut, Liliana anu Wellington Peieiia Caineiio. "Resettlement in
Soliuaiity: a new iegiolan appioach towaius a moie humane uuiable solution."
Refugee Law Su.S (2u11): 6S-86.
"Nexico Beclaiation anu Plan of Action to Stiengthen the Inteinational
Piotection of Refugees in Latin Ameiica." Nexico, 2uu4 n 16-Novembei.
0NBCR. Nexico Plan of Action: The impact of iegional soliuaiity. San }os:
Euitoiama, 2uu7.
. Resettlement Banubook. Chaptei I - Resettlement within 0NBCR's
Nanuate: Inteinational piotection anu the seaich ofoi uuiable solutions . 2u11
n }uly.
. Resettlement Banubook. Chaptei II - The evolution of iesettlement.
2u11 n }uly.
. "The Nexico Plan of Action to Stienthen Inteinational Piotection of
Refugees in Latin Ameiica. Nain Achiievementis anu Challenges 2uuS-2u1u."
2u1u.
. The stiategic use of iesettlement. 2uuS n S-}une.
. 0NBCR 2uu9 ulobal Tienus: Refugees, Asylum-Seekeis, Retuinees,
Inteinally Bisplaceu anu Stateless Peisons. ueneva, 2u1u n 1u-}une.
. 0NBCR, 2uu7 ulobal Tienus: Refugees, Asylum-Seekeis, Retuinees,
Inteinally Bisplaceu anu Stateless Peisons. ueneva, 2uu8 n 2-}une.