Pierre Bertrand

Commission Member

In the aftermath of some thirty years (1979-2009) of continuous service with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), including his posting as Director of UNHCR office in New York, Pierre now engages in public advocacy consulting activities on global humanitarian, peace and security global topics.

As a former seasoned refugee affairs professional, with a formal academic background in international law, Bertrand offers expert policy advice 2 in relevant settings on a range of demanding issues, notably root causes of contemporary conflicts, forced population displacements, asylum/migration nexus, conflict prevention and resolution and the conformity of counter-terrorism measures with applicable human rights standards under international law.

His career with UNHCR included operational leadership responsibilities in critical field assignments in Africa ( Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Guinea), Middle East ( Iran) and South-West Asia (Afghanistan) as well as policymaking functions at UNHCR HQs in Geneva and representation mandates at UN in New York. In his latest role as Director of UNHCR’s office in NY (2005 to 2009), he oversaw engagement with UN entities respectively handling political, humanitarian, human rights and development agenda.

2009-Current

Pierre provides strategic advice and thought leadership on a wide range of contemporary challenges notably forced population movements, protection of civilians in armed conflicts, conflict resolution, peace-keeping, peace-building, international human rights, asylum/migration issues, the emerging concept of Responsibility to Protect, the impact of Counter-terrorism measures on treatment of migrants and refugees.

Recent activities:

  1. Consultant April to October 2016, 2016 Chair of UN Global Migration Group (GMG). Lead Rapporteur in a series of multi-stakeholders meetings, in preparations – and follow-up- of the 19 September 2016 UN Summit on large movements of Refugees and Migrants, the related UN General Assembly (GA) “New York Declaration”, articulating a roadmap toward the adoption, in fall 2018 of respective Global Compacts on Refugees and Migrants.
  2. Publication of Op-Eds, La Presse, Montréal, Letter to the Editor, NYTimes, and Comments, Carnegie Europe, respectively covering the Syrian refugee crisis (2015/2016), the Humanitarian Summit in 3 Istanbul, May 2016, and International Crisis Group position paper on “ Conflicts and Migration” (May 2016).
  3. Member of the Commission preparing a “ Model International Mobility Convention”, a Columbia University/School of International Public Affairs (SIPA), Global Policy Initiative (2016/2017).
  4. Expert panelist on selected crisis situations, including “Conflict and Intervention in Mali” (2013), CUNY Law School and “The Syrian Refugee Situation: EU Practices on the Protection of Borders vs. Protection of People” (2014), Ramapo College.
  5. Member of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Inspection Review Board (2011). Case study on operations in Turkey. Graduated from University of Montréal (BA, Human Sciences) and Law Faculty, University of Geneva (L.L.B).