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We have just held a well attended Seminar on the Integration of Refugees
in Europe with the participation of Government Officials and representatives
of non-governmental organizations from nineteen countries, and a number of
observers. The Seminar debated social and practical problems relating to
refugee integration. These problems, as you will see from the report, do
exist. They must be solved by efforts of all those concerned. It was, in any
event, a useful venture and a rewarding experience to see how countries can
meet and try, in a positive spirit, to analyze an integration process in all
its aspects.
In Northern Latin America, present situations and future prospects are
widely diverse according to countries and to the location of refugees. While
in some areas we are in a position to turn to local integration of urban and
rural refugees, in others only holding operations are possible for the time
being, with limited activities in the form of handicrafts or vegetable
gardens. With the authorities and all those concerned, we are in the process
of trying to open up avenues which should bring the refugees closer to some
degree of self-sufficiency.
These were the introductory remarks I wished to make. Refugees count in
today's world. In certain countries or regions they exceed 15% of the local
population. In others, their political weight is important. Refugees are an
element in international negotiations of wider scope.
The refugee problem is increasingly difficult. In many places on earth,
some of the poorest people in the world knock at the poorest countries' door.
In spite of the often great hospitality given by so many developing countries,
the needs remain colossal. Industrialized countries receive refugees and lend
support; developments are showing that the level of their response
in many instances highly generous is not to be taken for granted.
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In a world situation which is chaotic in many ways, UNHCR tries to
mobilize energies and put them to good use. We have developed patterns
try to improve them
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for emergency and more durable response, for
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and