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Working Group Initiatives

InterAction Delegations to UNHCR Committee Meetings, Forum on Convention Plus, and Special Sessions
Since its inception, the InterAction Humanitarian Partnerships Working Group has coordinated a number of member delegations to UNHCR committee meetings, the High Commissioner’s Forum on Convention Plus, and other special sessions of the body. In addition to participating in these meetings, InterAction delegations have had the opportunity to meet privately with representatives of a variety of UNHCR bureaus and offices to discuss particular issues of concern to InterAction members. InterAction delegations have recently met with senior officials from such UNHCR bureaus as: the Americas Bureau, Africa Bureau, Asia Bureau, CASWANAME Bureau, NGO Liaison Unit, Convention Plus Unit, and the Department for International Protection.

In addition to its discussions with senior officials from UNHCR, InterAction delegations have also regularly engaged members of the U.S. Government delegation to UNHCR meetings to discuss issues critical to the U.S. NGO community. InterAction delegations have met with the Assistant Secretary of State and other senior officials of the State Department’s Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) to discuss such issues as refugee protection, food security, security for humanitarian workers, Convention Plus, and additional concerns around specific refugee crises.

For additional information around the InterAction Delegations to UNHCR committee meetings and special sessions, click here.

Working Group Meets with UNHCR Bureau Heads
On May 24, 2006, InterAction members met with Marjon Kamara, director of UNHCR’s Africa Bureau, and Arnauld Akodjenou, head of UNHCR’s Department of Operational Support. Topics that were discussed included the situations in Sudan/Chad, Uganda, and the DRC as well as funding issues.

Working Group Meets with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

On May 4, 2006, UNHCR High Commissioner Antonio Guterres met with InterAction members in Washington, DC. He dealt with a wide variety of issues ranging from security to resettlement. Funding, reform and restructuring were discussed, as was the issue of material support. The High Commissioner also spoke about UNHCR’s relationship with NGOs.

Grants Management
The working group is continuing to work with UNHCR to improve the agency’s grants management process. The working group is specifically focusing on the issues of overhead costs and salary caps in addition to the overall grants management process.

Officials have provided briefings on a variety of topics ranging from operational issues to management and administrative matters. For more information on individual sessions of the UNHCR Briefing Series, click on the links below.

2004

Briefing by UNHCR Director for External Relations, 12.06.04

Briefing by UNHCR Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Officer, 11.1.04

Briefing by UNHCR Director of Communications and Information, 3.24.04

Briefing by UNHCR Deputy Director, Africa Bureau, 2.09.04

Briefing by UNHCR Regional Representative to the US, 1.27.04

Briefing by UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, 1.16.04

2003

Briefing by UNHCR Consultant on Standards and Indicators, 12.18.03

Briefing by UNHCR Inspector-General, 10.22.03

Briefing by Coordinator of the UNHCR NGO Liaison Unit, 9.04.03

Briefing by UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 5.23.03

Roundtable Discussion with UNHCR NGO Liaison Unit, 5.19.03

Briefing by UNHCR Regional Representative to the US, 3.11.03