Challenges

Belize is located in Northern Central America, which experienced high levels of forced displacement at the end of the 20th?Century resulting in a significant influx of refugees. This phenomenon caused drastic demographic changes, the impacts of which are reflected in current public opinion. Although the State has adopted national refugee legislation, it has responded cautiously to the current forced regional displacement, maintaining a low refugee recognition rate and allocating limited resources to processing asylum claims. Refugee authorities have welcomed the opportunity to begin a regional exchange of best practices for asylum systems to better ensure that no one is left behind.

Toward a Solution

Created in 2017, the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (known as MIRPS for its acronym in Spanish) is a subregional and State-led application of the Global Compact on Refugees. As members of the MIRPS, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama have committed to responding to forced displacement at the national and regional levels. Each of the seven countries has developed a national action plan, and regional priorities are also identified and implemented throughout each year.

Belize joined MIRPS in 2017, in response to an increase in the number of refugee applicants from Northern Central America. In early 2018, Belize officially recognized 28?refugees, the first in nearly two decades.

Under its national action plan, the government of Belize has prioritized strengthening key components of its national asylum system. Since 2018, capacity development efforts have been undertaken to create a more favourable protection environment and fairer asylum process, including efforts to operationalize the Quality Assurance Initiative.

Effective refugee status determination (RSD) procedures are a prerequisite for refugee protection. In order to ensure that refugees can exercise their rights under the 1951?Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, a determination as to whether the individual is entitled to these rights must be made within a robust RSD process. Even an asylum seeker, whose refugee status has not yet been determined, is afforded certain rights that are safeguarded under a strong asylum system.

Having benefited previously from assistance from Canada in this matter, Costa Rica was considered a prime example from which Belize could learn and share experiences. With its more advanced system, Costa Rica has been better able to adapt and respond to significant increases in asylum applications resulting from the increase in forced displacement in the region. The Government continues to prioritize the quality and responsiveness of its RSD system, in accordance with its MIRPS national action plan.

In that connection, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees?(UNHCR) facilitated an exchange of good practices in MIRPS?responses within the region, for which Costa Rica hosted refugee authorities and institutions from Belize. Officials from Belize received a briefing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica concerning the inter-ministerial committee established to implement the national action plan. The committee brings together five different ministries to ensure a comprehensive response to the issues facing refugees and asylum seekers.

The remainder of the mission concentrated on the RSD process in Costa Rica. Observations of the registration and interview processes were followed by several discussions about the appeals procedure and a briefing from civil society partners who actively support refugees and asylum seekers throughout the process. There were several key takeaways for the Government of Belize, including changes in file management, the registration process, a simplified registration form and the issuance of work permits to asylum seekers.

In October?2019, Costa Rican government officials visited Belize to continue the exchange of information. A first-instance RSD adjudicator and a judge from the Costa Rican administrative tribunal met with their RSD counterparts in Belize. This mission helped identify priority areas, including pending amendments to legislation and practices that could ensure a faster, fairer process for refugee claimants and stronger institutions for all of Belize.

The exchange of good practices and knowledge connects government officials who work in the same areas, allowing both countries to strengthen their systems. The Government of Costa Rica and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada have established a similar programme; now Costa Rica can share that information with Belize. Given that strengthening asylum systems is a key aspect of national action plans for several MIRPS countries, this sharing of good practices can be replicated within the region. Whether a country is a member of MIRPS or is participating in the Quality Assurance Initiative, the MIRPS countries are willing to work with their neighbours for the mutual benefit of all those responding to forced displacement in the region.