1991 (Executive Committee—42nd Session)
No. 67 (XLII) RESETTLEMENT AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF PROTECTION ∗ (1991)
The Executive Committee,
Reaffirming the link between international protection and resettlement as an instrument of protection and its
important role as a durable solution in specific circumstances,
(a) Calls on governments in a position to assist, to establish refugee admission ceilings, in the context of
international burden-sharing;
(b) Requests States when setting refugee admission ceilings to include an adequate contingency provision
which could be available depending on need to address rapidly evolving situations;
(c) Recognizes that rapidly evolving situations can result in fluctuating resettlement requirements from on
year to another and that admission ceilings should be adaptable to such developments;
(d) Recognizes the need for rapid and flexible response to UNHCR resettlement requirements in particular
for vulnerable groups and emergency protection cases subject to refugee admission requirements of receiving
States;
(e)
Acknowledges the utility of close consultation with UNHCR in the resettlement activities of the Office;
(f) Recognizes that in reviewing UNHCR resettlement requests the protection element inherent in such
requests should be taken into account;
(g) Emphasizes that UNHCR pursues resettlement only as a last resort, when neither voluntary repatriation
nor local integration is possible, when it is in the best interests of the refugees and where appropriate.
∗
CONCLUSION ENDORSED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER’S
PROGRAMME UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON
INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF REFUGEES
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