International Solidarity and the Global Compact on Refugees: What Role for the African Union and the European Union?

Salvatore Fabio Nicolosi; Solomon Momoh

doi:10.1017/S0021855321000528

International Solidarity and the Global Compact on Refugees: What Role for the African Union and the European Union?

Salvatore Fabio Nicolosi, Solomon Momoh

UNHCR

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

On the 70th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, this article examines the concept of solidarity and explains its relevance today, through the lens of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). While stressing the potential as well as the challenges for thorough implementation of the solidarity mechanisms established by the GCR, the article argues that regional organizations may contribute to meeting the GCR objectives. This is particularly urgent for regions that are most affected by migratory flows. In proposing new ways of approaching the concept of solidarity, the article suggests that the African Union strengthen mechanisms other than the physical sharing of refugees, including pooling resources to support states experiencing large influxes of refugees. In addition to a system of financial support for refugee protection, the article also recommends that the European Union ensures safe channels for arrivals and a more robust resettlement programme, to help realize the GCR objectives.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	23-45
Number of pages	23
Journal	Journal of African Law
Volume	66
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021855321000528
Publication status	Published - 12 Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the UNHCR. The authors wish to acknowledge the support by the UNHCR senior development officer, Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa and the RENFORCE research assistant. While the article is the product of joint research, each author contributed different sections, but wrote the introduction and conclusions jointly. In particular, Dr Momoh wrote the sections on restructuring solidarity in the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees and on the African Union; and Dr Nicolosi wrote the sections on solidarity in the normative set-up of the UN Refugee Convention and on the European Union.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London.

Keywords

African union
European union
Global compact on refugees
Responsibility sharing
Solidarity

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1017/S0021855321000528Licence: CC BY

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Cite this

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title = "International Solidarity and the Global Compact on Refugees: What Role for the African Union and the European Union?",

abstract = "On the 70th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, this article examines the concept of solidarity and explains its relevance today, through the lens of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). While stressing the potential as well as the challenges for thorough implementation of the solidarity mechanisms established by the GCR, the article argues that regional organizations may contribute to meeting the GCR objectives. This is particularly urgent for regions that are most affected by migratory flows. In proposing new ways of approaching the concept of solidarity, the article suggests that the African Union strengthen mechanisms other than the physical sharing of refugees, including pooling resources to support states experiencing large influxes of refugees. In addition to a system of financial support for refugee protection, the article also recommends that the European Union ensures safe channels for arrivals and a more robust resettlement programme, to help realize the GCR objectives.",

keywords = "African union, European union, Global compact on refugees, Responsibility sharing, Solidarity",

author = "Nicolosi, \{Salvatore Fabio\} and Solomon Momoh",

note = "Funding Information: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the UNHCR. The authors wish to acknowledge the support by the UNHCR senior development officer, Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa and the RENFORCE research assistant. While the article is the product of joint research, each author contributed different sections, but wrote the introduction and conclusions jointly. In particular, Dr Momoh wrote the sections on restructuring solidarity in the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees and on the African Union; and Dr Nicolosi wrote the sections on solidarity in the normative set-up of the UN Refugee Convention and on the European Union. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London.",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1017/S0021855321000528",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "23--45",

journal = "Journal of African Law",

issn = "0021-8553",