1.
The period covered by this report 1/ was characterized by a considerable increase in the magnitude of the work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Major influxes of refugees and increased numbers of displaced persons in Africa, Asia and Latin America called for intensive and sustained efforts on the part of UNHCR to find durable and humane solutions for their plight.
2. The growing size and complexity of the refugee problem in various parts of the world has been a source of frequent and deep concern to the High Commissioner in the exercise of the protection function entrusted to his Office. His main efforts in this respect were particularly directed towards the prevention of refoulement, the granting of asylum, at least on a temporary basis, and the observance of the traditional obligations to rescue those in distress at sea. Close attention also continued to be given to the need to ensure the personal safety of refugees and the exercise of their basic rights. Serious difficulties were encountered in several of these areas, and there have been instances where lack of respect for the fundamental human rights of refugees have led to tragic consequences.
3. Requirements for material assistance increased dramatically in 1978, as indicated to the twenty-ninth session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme which was held in October 1978. Major developments affecting UNHCR's activities in the remaining months of the year prompted the High Commissioner to call an ad hoc meeting in January 1979, of Permanent Representatives in Geneva of States members of the Executive Committee, to apprise them of the consequent additional demands facing his Office. A separate meeting with interested Governments on refugees and displaced persons in South East Asia had already been held earlier, in December 1978.
4.
Total expenditures during 1978 amounted to some $134.7 million. Of this amount some $ 40.5 million vent to finance UNHCR's General Programmes of assistance while a little more than $ 94 million were spent for Special Programmes. The Special Programmes were mainly financed from contributions made in response to four separate appeals for funds which the High Commissioner made in the course of the year, to provide assistance for specific, new situations or unforeseen developments that require urgent, substantial commitment of funds. These situations concerned refugees and displaced persons from Indo-China, from Burma in Bangladesh, and within the Horn of Africa and the repatriation of Zairians wishing to return to their country.
5. The High Commissioner is most gratified by the level of support accorded him by the international community as a whole. Without this support, he would not have been able to discharge effectively the duties and functions of his Office. Close co-operation with an increasing number of Governments has allowed him to act speedily in a number of critical situations requiring urgent solutions. Moreover, the working relationships which the Office continued to maintain with other members of the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations and voluntary agencies all over the world, were of invaluable help in pursuing the humanitarian tasks undertaken throughout the year.
1 1 April 1970 to 31 March 1979; except for statistical and financial data, most of which cover the calendar year 1978.