International Refugee Protection Challenges and Opportunities

The new Millennium heralded a promise of change. For refugeesand other displaced persons, the start of the new Millenniumwas mixed; not much changed on the ground, but the fiftiethanniversary of the 1951 Convention brought Declaration of Statesparties reaffirming their commitments and the Agenda for Protection.Five years on, has the reaffirmation of States' commitment tothe international protection regime, and their endorsement ofthe Agenda for Protection, made a difference to refugees? Havewords been matched with actions to ensure access to asylum forthose who need it and a greater sharing of international responsibilityin this regard? This article looks at the major refugee protectionchallenges that confront us at the beginning of the 21^st centuryon both sides of the development divide. It also addresses whymany of these problems have developed and examines some of theemerging opportunities, which, if seized in good faith, couldprovide more robust protection for refugees, while respondingto the security, sovereignty and economic concerns of States.