2
The High Commissioner, whose first mission was to Southern Africa, referred to the programme he is coordinating in the Horn of Africa to alleviate the suffering of refugees and displaced persons in that region. He also stated that his Office was ready to discharge its responsibilities under the Five Power proposals on Namibia, endorsed by the Security Council in Resolution 431, to aid the return home of Namibians. He further reported that the governments of Angola and Zaire have approached the Office to assist with the voluntary repatriation of vast numbers of refugees and displaced persons in that region, and UNHCR has assured the governments of its support and cooperation.
Concerning the different refugee situations in South East Asia the High Commissioner, who recently returned from a mission to that region, considered that "it is imperative that we think and plan in advance in order to stay abreast of the demands of the situation, whether it be the growing number of boat people or of those who continue to cross land frontiers to Thailand, Viet Nam or elsewhere. We need to take an over- all view of the region as a whole, not only of its individual parts. If we recognize the inter-relationships in the situation, it will follow that we must help refugees and displaced persons wherever they are in all parts of the region and not merely selectively. Otherwise there will be additional reason for problems to spill over frontiers."
V
In this context and in order to permit better planning, Mr. Hartling called on countries to make known in advance the number of refugees that they are prepared to admit for resettlement and also to adopt more liberal admission requirements, offering equal chances to refugees who arrive by land or by sea. "It is evident that the pace of resettlement has an influence on the implementation of asylum policy in the region and on the development of local possibilities for becoming self-sufficient."
On the subject of financing UNHCR programmes, the High Commissioner stated that total expenditure from voluntary funds of the humanitarian organization had run to $111 million in 1977 and in 1978 would be between $110-115 million. He announced: "Today I am happy to report that the General Programmes for 1978 have been fully financed and, additionally, over $55 million have already been provided for the Special Programmes."
After having recalled that at the beginning of 1978, as at the beginning of each year, the expenditure foreseen is well beyond the total. contributions announced, the High Commissioner called on the members of the Executive Committee "to assure by all possible means" that governmental contributions to be announced at the pledging conference in New York next month be at an appropriate level. Cautioning that in trying to foresee future requirements of refugees "uncertainty is the rule rather than the exception", he gave a provisional estimate of needs over three years based on past experience and current trends of $360 million, or $120 million per year.
Mr. Hartling then turned to the subject of protection which "gives