IDP agreement "a very positive step forward"

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Kenzo Oshima, and the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Francis Deng, on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding in New York to improve UN efforts to respond to the severe crisis of internal displacement around the world, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday.

"This is a very positive step forward," Phyllis Lee, head of the advocacy and external relations section of OCHA, told IRIN on Friday.

Under the agreement, the two units will jointly design and develop strategies for the promotion, dissemination and application of guiding principles on internal displacement, OCHA reported. They will coordinate field visits to maximise impact, build upon each other's findings, and ensure meaningful follow-up action. The two units will collaborate in the development of policy and research on IDP issues and in the planning of joint activities, such as seminars, to identify best practices and areas for further application of the guiding principles. OCHA's IDP Unit and Deng will also undertake joint advocacy activities to further raise the awareness of the international community of the plight of millions of IDPs and their urgent need for protection and assistance.

It is estimated that some 20-25 million people have been displaced within their own countries as a result of armed conflict. Natural disasters have displaced another 25 million. "Because they are not covered by the same legal regime and assistance programmes that benefit refugees, these populations require the support of the international community to meet their urgent humanitarian needs," OCHA stated.