Treaty Series Recueil des Traites - United Nations Treaty Collection

Volume 2165, 11-1242
7. Joint training activities related to refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons
or any other persons of concern to UNHCR.
Article II. Institutional Arrangement
1. The Executive Secretary, on behalf of ECOWAS and the UNHCR Regional Director
for West And Central Africa Bureau on behalf of UNHCR, shall be responsible for
the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding.
2. ECOWAS will undertake to inform all Member States and relevant regional and
international organisations of this Memorandum of Understanding.
3. UNHCR will undertake to inform all its Representatives within ECOWAS Member
States and all relevant organisations and operational partners of this Memorandum of
Understanding.
Article IV. Functions of the Co-operating institutions
ECOWAS and UNHCR shall:
1. In accordance with their respective mandates, address the social, economic, political
and security issues in the sub-region, particularly those which have a bearing on the
root causes of forced population displacement, refugee protection, provision of humanitarian
assistance, and the search for durable solutions;
2. Establish and or strengthen mechanisms, procedures and institutions at national,
regional and international level, in order to create sustainable local capacity for the provision
of protection and assistance to refugees, particularly refugee women and children and
unaccompanied minors, returnees and other persons of concern to UNHCR and to give effect
wherever necessary to the concept of burden sharing;
3. Promote accession to international and regional instruments relating to refugees,
particularly refugee women and children, unaccompanied minors, stateless persons and
statelessness as well as other persons of concern to UNHCR and encourage ECOWAS
countries to enact or amend, as appropriate, their national refugee legislation in accordance
with these instruments and human rights, and humanitarian principles foreseen within the
ECOWAS Treaty;
4. Initiate and support academic research and studies on refugees in particular refugee
women and children, unaccompanied minors and persons of concern to UNHCR as well as
relevant training for Government officials, Non Governmental Organisations and staff
members of other organisations; with a view to promoting awareness and respect of refugee
law in particular, and humanitarian and human rights principles in general;
5. Promote public awareness and proper understanding of refugees and forced population
movements, and the need for their protection and assistance; through advocacy
studies and promotion activities related to refugee law, human rights and humanitarian
principles;