Event Details
14th December 2021
15:25 Geneva Time
The High-Level Officials Meeting (HLOM) will provide an opportunity for senior government officials and representatives of relevant stakeholder groups to take stock of progress made in achieving the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, including through the pledges and contributions made and initiatives announced at the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019. Participants will identify progress, challenges and where further engagement is needed to increase support and access to solutions for refugees, taking into consideration the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The HLOM will be co-hosted by the Swiss Confederation and UNHCR. It will be opened by the Swiss Federal Councillor and the High Commissioner for Refugees. The draft programme and other information may be found on the High-Level Officials Meeting webpage. Please check back regularly for updates.
The HLOM, which will take place on 14 and 15 December 2021, will be held in virtual format. Instructions for virtual participation will be made available separately.
Similar to the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019, the HLOM will be a plenary meeting and include a mix of panel presentations on the priorities for the meeting. Spotlight sessions will also be organized in the morning and during the lunch break.
Spotlight Session on the Role of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in Climate Action and Displacement
Date and Time: 14 December 2021 at 13:30 - 14:45 CET
Priorities for the 2021 High-Level Officials Meeting (HLOM) include: expanding support through responsibility-sharing for refugees and host countries, implementing and matching of pledges and initiatives announced at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum (GRF), and identifying areas in need of support with a view to preparing for the next GRF in 2023.
During the HLOM, four spotlight sessions on climate action, the COVID-19 response, the three-year strategy on resettlement and complementary pathways, and the support platforms will take place virtually. Access to the spotlight session is limited to those HLOM invitees who have been invited to the event. For others, the event will be accessible through a live-streamed link.
The spotlight session “the Role of the Global Compact (GCR) on Refugees in Climate Action and Displacement’ will be an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and commit to future concrete action in the form of new financial, political, material, and technical resources toward easing pressure on host countries and contributing to GCR implementation related to climate action. The dialogue will first look back on climate action-related pledges and initiatives launched at the first GRF, including the Clean Energy Challenge, and discuss good practices and lessons learned.
In the context of the UNHCR Strategic Framework for Climate Action, the second half of the event will host a forward-looking discussion focused on several concrete initiatives related to clean energy provision, greener and more climate resilient operational responses, and emergency preparedness. The session will explore several topics, including rehabilitation of the natural environment and mitigating environmental degradation in displacement settings, the enhancement of the resilience of displaced people and host communities to climate-related and other environmental risks, strengthening of emergency preparedness, anticipatory action, and response to support protection and solutions for people displaced and their hosts in disaster situations. During the second panel, the UNHCR Operational Strategy for Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability 2022-2025 will be launched, Lastly, the session will also speak to UNHCR’s efforts at reducing the organization's environmental footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
The Refugee Environmental Protection (REP) Fund will be launched, setting a foundation and vision for enhanced engagement in the lead-up to the second Global Refugee Forum in 2023.
Last updated: 10/02/2022