On 7 December 2020, the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) hosted a 90-minute Webinar in collaboration with the World Refugee and Migration Council. The Webinar on 'Placing Refugee Return and Reintegration at the Heart of International Development Policy' came in recognition of the challenge associated with ensuring durable solutions to forced displacement that is currently affecting 79.5 million displaced persons worldwide.
During the keynote address, His Royal Highness, Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, Honorary Chair of World Refugee and Migration Council, highlighted that the question of refugee return is tied to the question of a political settlement which HRH states creates 'another case of polarity over plurality'. Continuing his address, he referenced a Stanford University study that provides evidence from Jordan and Lebanon indicating that push and pull factors concerning refugee return play a large factor. In this way, it was stipulated that it is not the conditions in host countries that dictate the possibility of return as it is the conditions in countries of origins.
Ms Bilak, Director of Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, stressed that the movement of returning refugees does not always constitute an end to displacement as their refugee status could change to an IDP's status. Mr Al Dardari, United Nations Development Program's Resident Representative in Kabul, emphasized the fundamental requirement of a paradigm shift from a purely humanitarian approach to a developmental approach targeting Afghanistan's economy and labour market which are facing strain and high unemployment figures.
Dr. Al Mereikhi, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General, weighed in by highlighting initiatives currently being led by the UN with respect to private sector funding and the use of Islamic social financing as a way to provide durable solutions for refugee return and reintegration. Giles Merritt, Founder and Secretary General of Friends of Europe, then put forward bold recommendations including the need to address global governing structures such as the Geneva Convention concerning the distinguishing element between economic migrants and political refugees in order for the European Union to frame migration and displacement as an opportunity.
Following the contributions provided by the guest speakers, a moderated discussion took place in which various discussions with regards to durable solutions took place. Furthermore, inputs from multiple participants were provided relating to the contextualization of solutions to avoid a 'one-size fits all' and more inclusive approaches to fundraising such as peer-to-peer networks like Kickstarter.
The Webinar was live-streamed on CHS Social Media accounts and is now available on the Center's YouTube page.