CONFIDENTIAL
DIS 305/01
37TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR
REFUGEES.
PLENARY ITEM: REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN UNHCR ACTIVITIES RELATING TO ASSISTANCE,
DURABLE SOLUTIONS, REFUGEE AID AND DEVELOPMENT.
Doc 0/177096/677
Briet 3/6)
☎) (i), (ii) + (iii)
DURABLE SOLUTIONS
Line to Take
Recognise the need to provide more durable solutions for refugees alongside emergency relief and generally support the inclusion of both in UNHCR's programmes.
Background
The primary objective of all UNHCR assistance activities is the achievement of durable solutions through voluntary repatriation or local integration.
REFUGEE AID AND DEVELOPMENT
Line to Take
I.
General
UK reaffirms its past and future support for UNHCR.
In view of UNHCR's financial difficulties we made an advance payment in March of the
first tranche of our 1986 £3.5m cash contribution. We have since paid a second
instalment. Similarly, to meet urgent food needs we advanced the provision of our
1986 Food Aid Pledge worth £2.8m
; deliveries were completed by March 1986.
In addition we have generously supported UNHCR's special appeals (£5.67m to date in 1986). We were among the first to respond to the Africa appeals. Towards the end of our last financial year (1985/86), in recognition of the heavy burden placed on UNHCR resulting from conflict and famine in Africa we made available an additional £2.55m from our aid programme for UNHCR's programmes in Africa. UK's 1986 contributions to special appeals to date amount to £5.2m for Africa alone.
BACKGROUND
The Deputy High Commissioner will introduce the item and those portions of Document A/AC.96/677, Parts I to VII, "UNHCR activities financed by voluntary funds: Report for 1985-86 and proposed programmes and budget for 1987", which deal with assistance activities. A review of UNHCR durable solutions activities and of the issue of refugee aid and development are to be found in Part I of Document A/AC.96/677.
CONFIDENTIAL