December 23, 2024

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San Diego, California – At the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Guerline Jozef, Executive Director and founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), participated in a high-level Ministerial Event in Santiago, Chile, on December 11 and 12. During the event, Ms. Jozef met with Columbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Luis Gilberto Murillo, where they discussed potential collaboration with HBA, migration in the region, and matters of mutual interest with a focus on people of African descent.  The event marked the culmination of the Cartagena+40 Process, celebrating four decades of the Cartagena Declaration’s transformative impact on refugee and asylum law.

HBA was one of only five civil society organizations officially invited and represented at the Ministerial Event, underscoring its leadership in advocating for refugees across the Americas. Guerline engaged with key regional and global stakeholders, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, as well as Mr. Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

During the event, Ms. Jozef emphasized the urgent need for solidarity among States in the Americas to protect Haitians and other people of African descent, indigenous peoples, LGBTQAI+ women and any girls in mobility. She urged policymakers to adopt measures addressing the unique vulnerabilities of Haitian migrants and asylum-seekers, particularly in light of the compounded impacts of systemic anti-Black racism, economic instability, natural disasters and climate-induced displacement.

The Cartagena Declaration, adopted in 1984, revolutionized refugee and asylum law by recommending an expanded definition of refugees, extending protections to those fleeing situations beyond the scope of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The Cartagena+40 Process builds on this legacy, aiming to develop comprehensive frameworks that reflect contemporary challenges in the region. In addition, at the end of the event, States adopted the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action 2024-2034 . The Declaration and Plan of Action is “a regional framework  to  provide  a  response,  over  the  next  10  years,  to  the  protection  and  solution  needs  of  refugee status claimants, refugees, displaced persons, returnees, repatriated and stateless persons and other persons in need of international protection in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

In collaboration with the Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Matías de Córdova and The Global Justice Clinic (GJC) of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law, HBA released a report and issued key recommendations to the Cartagena+40 Process. The report highlights:

• The pervasive impact of anti-Black racism on migrants and asylum-seekers, calling for differentiated responses and increased protections for Haitians in mobility.
• The eligibility of Haitian migrants and asylum-seekers for refugee status under the expanded definition of the Cartagena Declaration.
• The significant impact of disaster and climate change on Haiti and the urgent need to recognize Haitians displaced by climate-related disasters as a category requiring specialized protections.

“This Ministerial Event represents an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to protecting the most vulnerable,” said Guerline Jozef. “Haitian migrants and asylum-seekers deserve policies rooted in justice, dignity, and humanity. The Americas must come together to ensure their safety and to recognize their rightful place within the protections established by the Cartagena Declaration including those forcedly displaced due natural  and climate related disasters.”

The Haitian Bridge Alliance remains steadfast in its advocacy for Haitians and other migrants across the Americas, calling on States to meet this moment with decisive action that prioritizes human rights, dignity, compassion and shared responsibility.