UNHCR High-Level Side Event on the Mexico Plan of Action
Geneva, 2 October 2007

Your Excellencies, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Chairperson of the UNHCR Executive Committee, Distinguished Representatives of Governments and of Interested United Nations Agencies, Fellow Representatives of Civil Society, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to be able to talk to you today about the role of Caritas Internationalis and other civil society partners in fulfilling the aims of the Mexico Plan of Action. Member organisations of Caritas are active in promoting humanitarian assistance, development, and social services in more than 200 countries of the world and in Latin America and the Caribbean region, we have twenty-two national Caritas members.

I am keenly conscious, however, that I also speak today on behalf of the significantly greater number of civil society partners that have joined with governments as well as global and regional inter-governmental agencies in striving to make a success of the Mexico Plan of Action. Civil society organisations have been, and continue to be, actively involved in all aspects of the Mexico Plan of Action, from its conception to its implementation.

On 20th June this year, on the occasion of World Refugee Day, Pope Benedict XVI launched a special appeal on behalf of refugees. He said: “To receive refugees and to offer them hospitality is a serious obligation of human solidarity to be shouldered by all…”  Solidarity is one of the five core guiding values of Caritas and it has clearly been a key element in the success of the Mexico Plan of Action.

For Caritas, and equally for the other civil society actors involved with the Mexico Plan of Action, that solidarity has been expressed through working in partnership with the UNHCR and other State institutions in almost every country across Latin America:

Caritas Brazil and the Scalabrinis have been instrumental in assisting resettled refugees and migrants to integrate into Brazilian society.
In Panama, Caritas along with VIDA, Jesuit Refugee Services and the Office of the Ombudsman continue to work closely together to develop training activities that include refugee protection. 
The Argentinean Commission for Refugees and the Centre of Social and Legal Studies in Argentina; Caritas Colombia; the Technical Board of Migrations in Bolivia; and the Association of Consultant and International Advisors in Costa Rica – to name but a few – all play an important role in the development or implementation of training programmes for refugees, or provide opportunities to improve their livelihoods.

On this third anniversary of the Mexico Plan of Action, there are clearly successes we can rightly acknowledge. However, there are challenges ahead:

The Mexico Plan of Action has demonstrated effective partnerships in promoting Cities of Solidarity, Borders of Solidarity and Solidarity Resettlement at the country level.    At Caritas Internationalis, one of our key goals is the ‘globalisation of solidarity’.

The innovative approach of The Mexico Plan of Action has shown a way forward.  It is an excellent example of what can be achieved through effective partnerships with civil society and faith-based organisations. What is needed now is for governments around the world to show their solidarity by working more closely with their civil society organisations.  At an international level, governments now need to match the levels of commitment that civil society organisations display. Only then will we be able to produce a sustainable solution to the problems caused by the forced migration of peoples – and more importantly to tackle the scandal of poverty and injustice that is its root cause.

Lesley-Anne Knight
Secretary General