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Impacted by two main forced displacement situations, Central America hosts hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced to flee either within or outside their country’s borders. This includes internally displaced within El Salvador and Honduras, and refugees and asylum seekers from all northern Central American countries who have fled chronic gang violence and insecurity. While the majority of people from the North of Central America who have crossed borders have sought protection in Mexico, the USA and Europe, several thousands more have sought asylum Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. An additional several hundred thousand are deportees, which include people with protection needs.
In addition, tens of thousands of people have fled the social and political crisis in Nicaragua, the vast majority to neighbouring Costa Rica where asylum claims have increased exponentially over the past two years.
With an increasing trend of people forcibly displaced in the region exerting pressure on national protection and asylum systems, the MIRPS seeks to expand the operational capacity of States in Central America to respond to forced displacement. This includes to make arrangements to ensure safe reception and admission of people forced to flee, facilitate safe spaces and shelters, engage community leaderships, promote durable solutions and livelihoods, and foster an environment of peaceful coexistence.
What is the MIRPS
In 2017, the governments of Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama adopted the San Pedro Sula Declaration, to strengthen protection and promote solutions for affected persons, address the underlying causes of forced displacement by promoting a stable environment that ensures security, economic development and prosperity.
Through the Declaration, countries agreed to participate in the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) as a regional contribution to the Global Compact on Refugees to strengthen regional cooperation and shared responsibility associated with countries of origin, transit and destination, where all states committed to adopt and implement national action plans, aligned to country specific commitments and priorities. In 2019, El Salvador joined this regional effort and has assumed the Pro-tempore Presidency for 2020.
What are the objectives
The MIRPS, through its Secretariat and Pro-tempore presidency, provides general guidance, technical support and orientation to governments for the implementation of their national action plans that respond to forced displacement in Central America. In line with the Global Compact on Refugees, the MIRPS aims to:
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Improve mechanisms for reception and admission
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Respond to immediate and persistent humanitarian and protection needs
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Support host countries and communities
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Enhance opportunities for durable solutions.