On Monday, June 20, representatives from the United States and twenty-eight other governments, along with non-governmental organizations, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, academia, refugees, and the private sector will convene the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) in Geneva, Switzerland. The three-day ATCR is a high-level, multilateral forum to discuss and advance refugee resettlement issues of common interest.
The 2022 ATCR is chaired by the Government of the United States, represented by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and co-chaired by Refugee Council USA (RCUSA). Interagency representatives from the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services and the White House will be in attendance. This will be the first in-person ATCR event since 2019 and the first time the U.S. has chaired since 2011. The first day of the ATCR, June 20, also coincides with World Refugee Day. Secretary Blinken will address the delegates by video, highlighting renewed U.S. leadership on refugee resettlement.
The ATCR allows existing and emerging resettlement countries to share best practices, discuss priorities, and engage with resettlement stakeholders on global needs and opportunities for the upcoming year. The event will emphasize strengthening partnerships and increasing capacity for resettlement, complementary protection pathways, and integration of refugees into welcoming and inclusive societies. As a global leader in refugee resettlement, the United States will outline plans at the ATCR to not only restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, but also expand and modernize it. The theme of this year’s ATCR is Reemerging and Building Globally.
Throughout the ATCR, the focus will be on reemerging from a year of unprecedented humanitarian emergencies such as Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic through renewed commitments to increased resettlement and complementary pathways, more innovative and nimble responses to emerging crises, and more equitable responsibility-sharing for supporting refugees globally. An additional goal of this year’s ATCR will be to advance the meaningful inclusion of refugees in resettlement policy and governance.
