ATCR 2020

The Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) bring together the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the governments and NGOs of resettlement countries, providing an opportunity for information-sharing and strategizing in support of resettlement.

From July 2019 to June 2020 Canada is chairing the ATCR, and the CCR is the NGO Focal Point.

Over the coming year, a primary objective of the ATCR process will be to support the implementation of the Three-Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.

Key events during the year are:

  • 11-13 February 2020 - Working Groups on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways, Ottawa, Canada
  • 15-17 June 2020 - ATCR 2020, Geneva, Switzerland

CCR priorities

The CCR has identified a number of objectives for our year as co-chair:

  1. Use our voice to bring forward the depth of the crisis facing refugee resettlement.
  2. Ensure that the inclusion of Complementary Pathways does not lead to decreased resettlement focus and opportunities, or loss of focus on finding permanent solutions. (NB we are concerned about apparent blurring of distinction between resettlement and CP. It is crucial to maintain focus on expanding resettlement.)
  3. Bring back the selection part of the ATCR agenda (which refugees are chosen for resettlement, who is left out, specific groups that need attention, discriminatory aspects of States’ selection criteria)
  4. Promote international networking of NGOs involved in resettlement
  5. Work to make refugee participation a permanent and meaningful part of the process, for which all three parties have responsibility.
  6. Achieve clearer tripartite structures and processes, with records of decisions made
  7. Clarify the situation with Working Group(s) and ensure things are as transparent and tripartite as possible.

Refugee participation

The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is inviting organizations in Canada and around the world to lead focus groups with refugees and former refugees in order to increase refugee participation in the 2019-2020 ATCR process. Read more.

A first round of focus groups was held in fall 2019 and January 2020. Read the report.