Strengthening the Protection of Migrants and Refugees in Distress at Sea through International Cooperation and Burden-Sharing

Abstract

The article discusses the proposals to strengthen the protection of migrants and refugees in distress at sea through enhanced international cooperation and burden-sharing that emerged from an expert meeting UNHCR convened in Djibouti in 2011. The article demonstrates the protection challenges that arise in the context of sea movements, based on the example of sea crossings from North Africa to Europe and the Libya crisis. It then discusses the proposals emerging from UNHCR’s expert meeting in Djibouti in 2011 to facilitate international cooperation, including a model framework for cooperation and the proposal for mobile protection response teams. The article suggests how the Model Framework and other proposed tools could be adapted to specific regional or sub-regional contexts and further concretised. Suggestions include the allocation of responsibilities for disembarkation and processing or, alternatively, the establishment of a joint processing centre or centres in line with international standards. It emphasizes the importance of government commitment, which can best be achieved if the responses to rescue at sea emergencies are part of broader efforts to manage irregular mixed movements.