ANNEX B
HISTORY AND ORGANISATION
UNHCR was established on 1 January 1951 for an initial term of three years by General Assembly Resolution 319(IV) of 3 December 1949, the ninth in a series of organisations set up since the First World War. In 1921 the Council of the League of Nations appointed the explorer Dr Nansen as High Commissioner for Russian Refugees- (he subsequently gave his name to the medal which UNHCR award annually to the person or country which has done most for refugees; last year President Giscard received it on behalf of France). The League established a High Commissioner for Refugees on 30 September 1938. UNHCR's immediate post-war predecessor was the International Refugee Organisation set up by the General Assembly on 15 December 1946. The Statute of UNHCR was finally adopted as an Annex to General Assembly Resolution 428(V) on 14 December 1950. The main purpose of establishing UNHCR was "to provide the necessary legal protection for refugees", although the High Commissioner was also empowered to distribute "any funds public or private which he may receive".
The life of the Office has been repeatedly extended five years at a time and its latest term will expire on 31 December 1983. Its temporary nature indicates the albeit vain expectation of the international community that refugees will one day cease to exist. UNHCR is a subsidairy organ of the General Assembly through whom the High Commissioner submits his annual report through the Economic and Social Council. However, it operates as an autonomous body within the UN. Nonetheless, the New York Secretariat exercises some supervision over its budgetary arrangements and staffing given that 40% of the administrative posts (297) at headquarters are financed by the regular budget.
Mr Poul Hartling, the present High Commissioner and a former Danish Prime Minister, was appointed by the Secretary-General for a five year term of office on 1 January 1978. His predecessor was Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, who held the position for nine years. In 1954 UNHCR was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme meets every October. It was first established by ECOSOC on 30 April 1958 with a membership of 24 states and this was subsequently enlarged to 31 and in 1979 to 40. Members are chosen on a permanent basis (there are no elections) for their "demonstrated interest" in refugee matters with some consideration given to equitable geographical distribution except that the Soviet bloc countries who are not parties to the Convention and Protocol have never associated themselves with UNHCR. Yugoslavia, however, is a member and China became an active member in 1979. The fact that the East Europeans do not contribute to UNHCR, are not members of the Executive Committee and are not represented in the Secretariat, helps UNHCR to remain non-political and protects it from East/West feuding. There is no reason why the Soviet bloc should not pay their share of the burden although participation by them would be a mixed blessing. Each year the Executive Committee edges closer to the political arena and there are always clashes between for example, Morocco and Algeria.
*
Last year the
/Committee