54 Pledges 2011 - Ministerial Intergovernmental Event on Refugees and Stateless Persons Belgium will continue its efforts to achieve the establishment of a Common European Asylum System (CEAS) based on high standards of protection and will strive for the best level of harmonization. Belgium pledges to accede to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness in the near future. In addition, the new coalition agreement also provides for the introduction of a new procedure for the recognition of statelessness to be conducted by the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons. Belgium also acknowledges the importance of the external dimension of the asylum policy and pledges to increase its resettlement efforts in the near future, in close collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Belgium is involved in small projects for capacity building in non EU-countries, e.g. in Burundi, where public servants of the asylum authority are trained by experienced staff from Belgium. Belgium will, to the extent possible, further participate in such projects. BENIN PLEDGE FORM The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, for African Integration, for Francophonie and Beninese Abroad offers its compliments to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and has the honour of referring to the Convention of 28 September 1954 relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and to the Convention of 30 August 1961 on the Reduction of Statelessness. In compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of 11 December 1990, the Government of Benin is anxious to protect, defend and promote human rights. It considers that, whatever their circumstances, human beings enjoy rights that must be recognized and protected. It is in this perspective that, on 4 November 2011, the National Assembly debated and adopted Law No. 201132 which authorises the Republic of Benin to accede to both conventions. In compliance with the internal ratification process, the President of the Republic will issue a decree of accession in the next few days. Thereafter, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will take the necessary measures to draw up the instruments of accession and deposit them with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Government of Benin wishes to reiterate here its full accession to both conventions. The Ministry can count on the support of UNHCR in the do-