Attorney-General Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum held a consultation on laws covering refugee status and the application process for refugees with Regional Protection Officer, Mr. Rico Salcedo, of the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR).
The talks covered areas of collaboration between Fiji and the UNHCR on a wide range of refugee related issues, and the UNHCR offered technical assistance to assist in strengthening Fiji’s internal mechanisms for handling the refugee application process.
The AG said that the Office of the Attorney-General has a Unit dedicated to legal matters pertaining to climate change that is looking at the legal aspects of climate-displaced refugees, including many issues areas that fall outside of the traditional discourse on climate change matters.
“Fiji is exploring the wider implications of refugee movements around the globe, particularly those refugees fleeing the ravages of climate change. The number of climate displaced persons are projected to increase in the Pacific due to rising sea levels, and we are working to contribute to the development of an international legal framework that can accommodate and protect refugee populations in the region,” he said.
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