UNHCR and UNDP agree on text of MoU with Myanmar to support the creation of conditions for the return of Rohingya refugees
Geneva/New York — UNHCR, the UN Refugee
Agency, and UNDP, the United Nations Development Programme, agreed today
in Nay Pyi Taw with the Government of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar on the text for the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU). It is planned that the MoU will be signed in the course of the
next week, the exact date of which is still to be confirmed.
This tripartite Memorandum will establish
a framework for cooperation aimed at creating the conditions conducive
to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of
Rohingya refugees to their places of origin or of their choosing. Since
the conditions are not conducive for voluntary return yet, the MoU is
the first and necessary step to support the Government’s efforts to
change that situation and is also intended to support recovery and
resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living
in Rakhine State.
The agreement will provide a framework
for UNHCR and UNDP to be given access to Rakhine State, including to
refugees’ places of origin and areas of potential return that has not
been permitted since violence broke out in August 2017. The access, once
effective, will allow UNHCR to assess the conditions on the ground and
carry out protection activities. This will also enable UNHCR to
eventually provide independent information to refugees about the
conditions in their places of origin, helping them to make informed
decisions if the conditions are right for them to return in safety and
dignity. The MoU will also allow the two UN agencies to carry out needs
assessments in affected communities and strengthen the capacity of local
authorities to support the voluntary repatriation process.
The MoU, once signed, will affirm the
Myanmar Government’s commitment to work with UNHCR and UNDP to find a
solution for the Rohingya population, in line with the recommendations
of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. The recommendations include
establishing a clear and voluntary pathway to citizenship and ensuring
freedom of movement for all people in Rakhine State, irrespective of
religion, ethnicity or citizenship status. The development programmes
supporting livelihoods and social cohesion will benefit all communities.
The signing of the MoU is an integral
part of a comprehensive approach by UNHCR and UNDP to find solutions for
Rohingya refugees and supporting transition towards a peaceful, fair
and prosperous future for all the people of Rakhine. On 13 April 2018,
the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR also signed a MoU relating to
voluntary returns of Rohingya refugees once conditions in Myanmar are
deemed conducive.
Contact Information: New York: Christina LoNigro, UNDP, + 1 212 906 5301 christina.lonigro@undp.org
Yangon: Stanislav Saling, UN in Myanmar, +95-942 651 9871 stanislav.saling@one.un.org
Yangon: Paul Vrieze, UNHCR, +95 944 803 4427, vrieze@unhcr.org
Geneva: Andrej Mahecic, UNHCR, +41 79 642 9709, mahecic@unhcr.org
Bangkok: Keane Shum, UNHCR, +66 92 275 2585, shum@unhcr.org
