Paper short abstract:

The MPA defines the lines of a regional plan to protect refugees and proposes the adoption of durable measures in particular to face both situations that need an urgent answer: the increasing flow of refugees in the large urban cores of LA and the enormous number of Colombians in the border zones.

Paper long abstract:

In 2004, the Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action (MPA) was elaborated aiming at analysing the main challenges that refugee protection faced in Latin America. It represents a step forward in strengthening the protection of the human rights and the affirmation of the universality of human dignity. The MPA will express the Latin American solidarity with countries that currently has the highest number of refugees in Latin America and is confronting larger burden on its protection system due to the disproportionally large influxes of Colombian refugees in to its territory.

The MPA is composed of four chapters, which deal with the situation of the refugees in Latin America, the international protection of refugees, the search for durable solutions, and mechanisms of promotion, execution, continuity and evaluation, respectively.

Considering all the above, three programmes were proposed: self-sufficiency and a local integration program called "Solidarity Cities"; an integral program called "Borders of Solidarity"; and the regional program named "Solidarity Resettlement".

The consolidation of the objectives and programs of the MPA carries with it a dual responsibility. The first, of regional character, referring itself to the need of the States to act together to solve the problems considered common, reflecting a notion of international solidarity and shared responsibility. The second responsibility is of international character. The success of the regional program of resettlement in Latin America could encourage similar initiatives in other parts of the world, revealing the importance of cooperation's at regional and intercontinental level.