Multi-stakeholder Pledge: Cartagena+40 – Chile Declaration and Plan of Action

Objective

To implement the Latin American and Caribbean ten-year strategy in the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action (2024-2034), a framework for cooperation and regional solidarity to strengthen the international protection of refugees, displaced and stateless people and a regional implementation of the Global Compact for Refugees.

Key outcomes

By adopting the Chile Declaration and Plan of Action in December 2024, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean renewed their commitment for solidarity, protection and sustainable solutions for refugees, displaced people and stateless people in the region.

Key outcomes of implementing the programmes and recommendations contained in the Plan of Action include:

1. enhancing the fairness, efficiency, and integrity of national asylum systems;
2. implementing measures to prevent and reduce and eradicate statelessness in the region;
3. expanding opportunities for resettlement and family reunification;
4. enhancing financial and political support for voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of displaced persons;
5. expanding opportunities for integration, including employment, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and inclusion in national social protection systems;
6. protecting forcibly displaced persons in the context of disasters.

Background

In 2024, Chile led the 40th anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees. This event provided a space to discuss current challenges and strategic priorities for protecting refugees, forcibly displaced and stateless persons in Latin America and the Caribbean. This landmark marked a new phase in the Cartagena Process, now called Cartagena+40, and concluded with the adoption of a new roadmap to enhance protection and solutions.

The Cartagena+40 multi-stakeholder pledge is a concrete application of the Global Compact for Refugees in the Americas, as it encourages regional cooperation among Latin American and Caribbean countries for greater solidarity and responsibility sharing in matters of protection, eradication of statelessness and durable solutions.

The Cartagena Declaration on Refugees, adopted in 1984, marked a significant milestone in Latin America's tradition of solidarity and asylum. It introduced a broadened definition of refugees, extending protection beyond the scope of the 1951 Convention. This led to the "Cartagena Process," with subsequent declarations every ten years: the San José Declaration in 1994, the Declaration and Plan of Action of Mexico to Strengthen the International Protection of Refugees in Latin America in2004, and the Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action in 2014. The ten-year roadmap, put into practice the principles of solidarity, international cooperation, and shared responsibility, later included in the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees. It incorporated statelessness as a new area of protection, alongside quality asylum and comprehensive, sustainable solutions.

In 2023, the Cartagena+30 initiative concluded, marking the end of a decade of implementing the Brazil Plan of Action (PAB). A Final Implementation Report of the Brazil Plan of Action was jointly delivered.

Priorities 2025-2027

The 15 priorities for the 2025–2027 biennium were selected from the 101 actions of the PAC during the First Regional Meeting of the Follow-up and Coordination Mechanism, convened by Chile as the Presidency of the process, with Mexico serving as Vice Presidency, which took place in July 17 and 18, 2025.

Chapter 1 Protection needs throughout the displacement cycle

1. Identification, assistance, registration, and referral at borders, in countries of transit and reception
2. Adopt assistance mechanisms for returnees with protection needs –including through inter-agency roundtables – by strengthening development programmes, to promote reception and reintegration and ensure the exercise of their basic rights such as identity, health, employment, education and housing
3. Digitization and new technologies, case registration and management (where applicable, use the regional refugee definition recommended by the Cartagena Declaration as an efficiency tool)
4. Training and capacity-building - technical capacities - technical cooperation
5. Late birth registration for people on the move, and simplification of procedures for the validation and issuance of documents, as well as consular coordination

Chapter 2 Comprehensive, solidarity-based and sustainable solutions

1. Inclusive policies: legal, socioeconomic, educational, and cultural integration
2. Strengthening Cities of Solidarity Programme
3. Access to the labor market, employment opportunities, decent work (a)
4. Certification of competencies, validation of degrees and diplomas (f)
5. Family reunification mechanisms

Chapter 3 Protection on situation of forced displacement due to disasters

1. Integration of refugees, displaced and stateless persons into national disaster response systems, on equal terms with nationals
2. Capacity-building and training of officials
3. Continue regional and subregional dialogues, cooperation, and solidarity
4. Promote technical and financial support in context of disasters — both for affected and receiving countries/communities
5. Promote regional harmonization of displacement data, monitoring/reporting methods, and common indicators

Countries also approved the structure and operating modalities of the Follow-up and Coordination Mechanism and the Support Platform for the Action Plan, as well as cooperation frameworks to strengthen an integrated and sustainable regional response.

The Follow-up and Coordination Mechanism and the Chile Action Plan Support Platform are innovative structures to ensure effective implementation. The Mechanism includes countries that adopted the PAC and is supported by UNHCR as Technical Secretariat. It reaffirms the region’s commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility in international protection and durable solutions.

The Support Platform has a broader composition, including civil society networks, refugees, displaced, and stateless persons, Academia, Local governments, development actors, international financial institutions, private sector and national human rights institutions.

Pledge description

All countries of Latin America and the Caribbean along with other stakeholders are invited to join the commitment to work together towards implementing the regional strategic Chile Plan of Action 2024-2034, to strengthen the international protection of refugees, displaced and stateless persons, and the regional implementation of the Global Compact for Refugees.

This plan establishes new areas of common interest for a coordinated response in a spirit of solidarity and shared responsibility as enshrined in the Global Compact on Refugees: Protection Needs Throughout the Displacement Cycle (Chapter 1); Comprehensive, Solidarity-based and Sustainable Solutions (Chapter 2); Protection in Situations of Forced Displacement Due to Disasters (Chapter 3).

Additionally, States from Latin America and the Caribbean are invited to link all pledges submitted in the 2023 GRF, to the Cartagena+40 multi-stakeholder pledge, as they include actions related to protection and solutions for asylum seekers, refugees, displaced persons and stateless persons in the region.

In the inclusive spirit of the Chile Plan of Action, all relevant stakeholders are called to play an important role in its implementation, through the Chile Plan of Action Support Platform.

Leadership

• Government of Chile as president
• Government of Mexico as vice-president (2025-2027)

Supported by UNHCR as part of the Technical Secretariat.

Contact details / Contacto

C+40 Secretariat: [email protected]

Calendar

• September 2025: First Meeting of the Plan of Action Support Platform.
• December 2025: Side event in the HLOM.