III. DECISIONS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

124. The Executive Committee

Decisions on general matters

(a) Congratulated members of the Bureau on their election and paid tribute to the outgoing Chairman for his stewardship of the Committee during the past year;

(b) Expressed appreciation of the introductory statement of the High Commissioner in which he had outlined his approach to the crucial problems confronting his office; commended the High Commissioner on the energetic and positive steps he had taken to discharge his functions in the course of his first months of office and for the considerable effort he had personally made to visit major countries and situations of concern to his Office;

(c) Endorsed the High Commissioner's commitment to seeking durable solutions to long-standing refugee problems and called for the fullest co-operation of the international community in his efforts; in this connection, welcomed the increased share of UNHCR budgetary resources devoted to durable solutions;

(d) Recalled with appreciation the significant contributions made by countries of asylum in accepting, often despite serious difficulties of their own, large numbers of refugees, and urged other Governments, in a spirit of international solidarity and equitable burden-sharing, to provide assistance and facilitate refugee self-reliance;

(e) Endorsed the emphasis placed by the High Commissioner upon closer consultation with the Executive Committee and with governments and regional groups concerned with refugee issues, and encouraged further efforts to mobilize broader international support for the refugee cause;

(E) Welcomed the improvements in the documentation and reports submitted to members of the Executive Committee and urged continuing efforts by UNHCR, in co-operation with the Committee, to streamline and improve such documentation and reporting;

(g) Noted with appreciation the continuing co-operation between UNHCR and the various agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, as well as with other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, with a view to the rational, efficient and co-ordinated use of their resources and energies for the benefit of refugees and displaced persons;

(h) Commended the High Commissioner and the staff of UNHCR for the invaluable work performed by the Office on behalf of refugees in often difficult conditions throughout the world, and paid tribute to the four staff members who lost their lives in the course of their duties during the past year.

International protection general conclusions

125. The Executive Committee

(a) Recognized that the exercise of the High Commissioner's international

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