Migration policy framework for Africa and plan of action (2018 – 2030) 6. Forced displacement 6.1 Refugees and asylum-seekers Refugee protection is a central aspect of international, regional, and national efforts to protect persons fleeing persecution. African States have a long tradition of hospitality towards refugees and have developed legal frameworks governing aspects of refugee protection specific to Africa. Nevertheless, the large numbers of refugees displaced by conflict and other factors pose serious challenges to States. States should enhance national efforts to fulfil international protection obligations, provide durable solutions to refugees, and address the root causes of refugee movements, including conflict and political instability, in collaboration with UNHCR and other national and international partners. Recommended strategies 58 i. Identify and address the root causes of forced migration. ii. Adopt and incorporate into national policies the international instruments pertaining to the protection of refugees, including the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. iii. Establish in-country processing for resettlement or humanitarian visa programmes, allowing those who face an immediate threat to be resettled without the need for taking dangerous routes to flee their country. iv. Establish focal points within relevant ministries and devise national contingency plans, in order to enhance capacities to address situations of mass displacement, as well as mass return, in a timely, efficient and appropriate manner. v. Strengthen intra-regional co-operation in order to respond in a timely and effective manner to “mass influx” situations, including through the development of regional contingency plans, in concert with UNHCR and other international and regional partners. vi. Implement protection obligations arising out of the relevant treaties, including the principle of non-refoulement, registration and issuance of identity documents, access to