Outcome document - Ministerial Conference on the Eradication of Statelessness in the Great Lakes Region (16-18 April 2019, Nairobi)

From 16-18 April 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya, the Government of Kenya, the Executive Secretariat of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-organised a Ministerial Conference on the Eradication of Statelessness in the Great Lakes Region. The purpose of this conference was to review the progress of Member States of the ICGLR under the Action Plan of the ICGLR on the Eradication of Statelessness (ICGLR Action Plan), and to prepare for the High-Level Segment on Stateless to be held on 7 October 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The two first days of this meeting consisted of an Expert-Level Progress Review Segment, gathering approximately 90 participants from the 12 ICGLR Member States including ICGLR Member State Government statelessness focal points (ICGLR government statelessness focal points), other government and non-governmental experts, representatives from national human rights commissions, civil society representatives, leaders and members of communities in the region affected by statelessness, and technical level staff from UNHCR as well as other UN Agencies. The Ministerial Segment of the meeting was held on the third and final day, bringing together Ministers responsible for nationality matters and their delegates from the 12 ICGLR Member States. Representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), other regional intergovernmental bodies, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General in the Great Lakes region, as well as diplomats from a number of non-ICGLR Member States also attended. UNHCR’s Director for the Regional Bureau for Africa served as the Chair for the Ministerial Segment. Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Affey, UNHCR Special Envoy for Horn of Africa also acted as a panel chair. UNHCR Representatives from each of the ICGLR States also participated, bringing the total number of participants to approximately 100 (please see the conference agenda attached at Annex I).

The three main outcomes of the Expert-Level Review Segment were: (i) A summary progress review from the ICGLR Secretariat, each ICGLR government statelessness focal point, and civil society representatives ; (ii) an overview of areas of possible achievements and commitments to be announced by ICGLR Member States and the ICGLR Secretariat at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness; and (iii) Agreement by the ICGLR government statelessness focal points and the ICGLR Secretariat to extend the Action Plan of the ICGLR to 2024, and to expand it to include a new strategic objective on guaranteeing access to proof of legal identity, including birth certificates, and nationality documentation (please see the Extended Action Plan of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region on the Eradication of Statelessness: 2017 – 2024 (Extended Action Plan) at Annex II) and the Proposed Draft Expansion to the Extended Action Plan of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region on the eradication of statelessness at Annex III). It was agreed that the Proposed Draft Expansion to the Extended Action Plan would subsequently be shared in writing for final review by the ICGLR government statelessness focal points and that both this document and the Extended Action Plan would be submitted well before early October 2019, for adoption by ICGLR Member States and ICGLR Secretariat at the next meeting of the ICGLR Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee (RIMC).

The Ministerial Segment held on 18 April was officially opened by Hon. Patrick Ole Ntutu, Chief Administrative Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government, Kenya, Mr. Zachary Muburi-Muita, Executive Secretary of the ICGLR, Mr. Volker Türk, UNHCR’s Assistant High-Commissioner for Protection, and Mr. Raouf Mazou, Director of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Africa. A keynote speech was given by Mr. Olabisi Dare, Head of the Division of Humanitarian Affairs, Refugees and Displaced Persons, (AUC). A summary report of the outcomes of the Expert-Level Review Segment was delivered by Mr. Jacques Essissongo, ICGLR government statelessness focal point from the Republic of Congo. The Chairperson of the Makonde community, Mr. Thomas Nguli, provided a personal testimony of the impact of finally being recognized as a Kenyan citizen following decades of being left stateless. This was followed by a performance by the Makonde Dancers. On behalf of civil society organisations working on statelessness and related issues in the region, Ms. Achieng Akena, Executive Director of International Refugee Rights Initiative, delivered a statement pledging to support Governments in the region through complementary efforts to meet their commitments to eradicate statelessness.

The key outcomes of the Ministerial Segment of the conference were the following achievements and indicative pledges by ICGLR Member States, as well as organisations from the region, to be delivered at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness. These indicative pledges were delivered either by Ministers in attendance at the meeting or by their delegates (please note that official statements delivered on 18 April 2019 are available on the UNHCR data portal on statelessness in the Great Lakes Region) and in the case of organisations by their respective representatives at this event:

Angola

• Accede to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;

• Form a technical committee on statelessness;

• Continue to provide national ID cards to all nationals;

• Ensure birth registration and certification for all new-borns in Angola, including refugee children; and

• Continue to assist former Angolan refugees in neighbouring countries who did not opt to be repatriated to Angola by issuing them with nationality documents which will then enable them to achieve a solution in this host country.

Burundi

• Before October 2019, ensure that the Parliament gives its assent to the accession process to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;

• Before October 2019, adopt and validate a national action plan to end statelessness;

• Before 2024, take advantage of the existing momentum to reform the nationality law; and

• By 2024, fully sensitize the people of Omani origin on the legal options available to them, including naturalisation as Burundian citizens.

Central African Republic

• Accede to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;

• Reaffirm commitments made by the Government of the Central African Republic at the Ministerial Meeting in Geneva in 2011 to eradicate statelessness;

• In 2019, form an inter-ministerial committee on statelessness; and

• In 2019, finalise the national action plan to end statelessness.

Democratic Republic of Congo

• At the High-Level Segment on Statelessness, accede to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;

• In 2019, finalise the study on nationality and statelessness;

• In 2019, institutionalize the collection of data on stateless persons in the upcoming national census; and

• In 2019, promote birth registration to prevent statelessness.