A/HRC/13/21 displacement, the Project has helped to reinforce the work of the Representative, in particular with research and publications on national responsibility, durable solutions, consultation mechanisms, peace processes and protection in situations of natural disaster. It has provided support for the preparation of the Manual for Law and Policy Makers, the Guide for Peace Mediators and the courses in San Remo, and has organized seminars at the regional and national levels to promote the protection of internally displaced persons. 6. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) established by the Norwegian Refugee Council, with which the Representative also concluded a memorandum of understanding, has provided valuable support to the mandate in the preparation of country visits and by conducting training and other follow-up activities after visits, contributing to the capacity-building activities of the Representative, and promoting the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. 7. One of the key findings of the Representative is that tangible improvements over time for internally displaced persons were only achievable where he could pay visits, maintain an ongoing dialogue with the authorities and gain on-the-ground support from United Nations partner agencies and United Nations and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) country teams, as well as Special Representatives of the Secretary-General. 8. The Representative is particularly grateful for the generous support of many donors which allowed him to undertake research and capacity-building activities through the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement and to have additional support staff. II. Achievements and activities of the mandate 9. Achieving full respect for the human rights of internally displaced persons and finding durable solutions to their displacement requires at least four elements: (a) a strong normative framework for the protection and assistance of the displaced; (b) the political will to implement fully such a framework; (c) the capacity at all levels — international, regional, national and local — to do so; and (d) the ability to respond to emerging challenges. The Representative, during his mandate period, has centred his activities around these four elements. A. Strengthening the normative framework on the basis of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 10. Internally displaced persons are citizens or long-term residents of their country, with all the rights and privileges this entails under international and national law, and also enjoy the protection of international humanitarian law in conflict situations. Because they reside inside their own countries, they do not, unlike refugees, enjoy a special status under international law although, like refugees, they have needs specific to their displacement. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which the Representative is mandated to promote, address these needs. The Guiding Principles reflect and are consistent with international human rights and humanitarian law, restating existing norms and tailoring them to the needs of the displaced. 11. The Representative is pleased to report that the authority of the Guiding Principles has been consolidated at the international level since he assumed his mandate. The Heads of State and Government assembled in New York for the World Summit of September 2005 unanimously recognized the Guiding Principles as an “important international framework 4 GE.10-10161