Widespread Support Expressed For Solutions Strategy For Afghan Refugees In Iran

Tehran, Sept 9, IRNA – In May 2012, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agreed to the development of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan refugees to support voluntary repatriation, sustainable reintegration and assistance to host countries. At the invitation of UNHCR and the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants’ Affairs (BAFIA) of the Interior Ministry of Iran, an important number of representatives from UN agencies, NGOs, Iranian ministries and diplomatic missions met at BAFIA premises Sunday and were briefed on the Iran component of the Solutions Strategy: the framework, the process and operationalization of the Strategy, a news release issued by the UNHCR said. Underlining the importance of the meeting, Ali Abdollahi, Deputy Minister of Interior for Security and Disciplinary Affairs opened the meeting, hoping that the efforts that are being made in operationalizing the Solutions Strategy will move towards ending the plight of refugees in the region. The Solutions Strategy is aimed at addressing the current gaps in the interlinking sectors of education, health and livelihoods. The refugee program in the Islamic Republic of Iran aims at implementing projects that address the immediate basic needs and protection of refugees in Iran, while concurrently seeking durable solutions. Empowering and better enabling refugees to return through improved access to education, healthcare and diversified livelihood opportunities will effectively contribute to their sustainable reintegration upon return to Afghanistan. Project proposals, covering the above-mentioned interventions, in the Islamic Republic of Iran were presented to the audience at the meeting. Of course the success of the Solutions Strategy in Iran relies on the robust and joint engagement of the International community in the proposed activities said Bernard Doyle, UNHCR Representative to Iran, in his opening remarks of the meeting, Their support by funding activities and/or aligning their programs with the specific outcomes outlined in the Solutions Strategy for Afghan refugees is essential. The meeting concluded by the remarks of the ambassadors of Australia, Afghanistan and Russia and representatives from Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway and Sweden who all commended the Islamic Republic of Iran and its people for its long-standing support in hosting refugees for over 3 decades. Supporting the aim of the SSAR and appreciating how various parties including international organizations, UN agencies, governmental bodies, national and international non-governmental organizations have joined efforts in this regard, they noted that the pooling of such efforts is surely key to the success of the project. Government representatives outlined their current contributions to support refugee operations in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including resettlement and financial support. Resettlement quotas are provided by Australia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Financial support is provided by Australia for dlrs 228,095; Denmark for dlrs 1,621,720; the European Commission (ECHO) for dlrs 3,274,228; Germany for dlrs 3,923,662; and Japan for dlrs 5,990,099. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been hosting refugees for over thirty years and is currently host to the second largest refugee population in the world with nearly 890,000 registered refugees living in the country./end