FIFTH PROGRESS REPORT (FINAL REPORT) Implementation of the Durable Solutions Process (Sarajevo Process) for refugees from Croatia displaced by the 91 – 95 conflict, including cessation of refugee status Reporting period: 1 January 2017-31 December 2017 A) Introduction In April 2014, UNHCR issued its Advisory on the Implementation of the Durable Solutions Process (Sarajevo Process) for refugees from Croatia displaced by the 91- 95 conflict, including cessation of refugee status (hereinafter Advisory). The Advisory contained UNHCR’s recommendation for the cessation of refugee status of refugees from Croatia displaced by the 1991-1995 conflict pursuant to the “ceased circumstances” cessation clauses contained in paragraph 6(A)(e) and (f) of the UNHCR Statute and Article 1C(5) and (6) of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. UNHCR recommended that States ensure that all aspects of cessation be implemented in 2014, with cessation to take effect by the end of 2017 at the latest. In tandem, UNHCR provided recommendations on how to resolve remaining displacement challenges and further advance the Regional Durable Solutions Process. This is the Fifth and the final Progress Report issued in line with UNHCR’s commitment to monitor its cessation recommendation and States’ commitments under the Regional Durable Solutions process. The report covers the period from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017, and should be read in conjunction with the initial Advisory. At the time when the conflict in Croatia ended in 1995, some 950,000 people had been displaced from or within Croatia over the course of the conflict. In order to find solutions for persons displaced from Croatia in South-Eastern Europe by the conflict in the region in the 90s, with a particular focus lately on the Regional Durable Solutions Process (“Sarajevo Process”), UNHCR successfully advocated to improve the policies and practices of the Government of Croatia related to housing assistance, status issues, free legal aid, and resolution of property rights. Subsequently, Croatia managed to improve the allocation of housing units, both through the national Housing Care Programme (HCP) and the Regional Housing Programme (RHP), including for vulnerable persons of concern. Awareness on the importance of sustainable solutions for returnees and promotion of national minority rights and reintegration has been continuously raised by UNHCR and civil society organizations (CSOs) throughout the years. Overall, substantial progress has been achieved with long lasting positive effects in the returnee communities. 1