TNAG-0793-FCO40-997-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 195

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With these reservations. I believe that it would not be unreasonable to venture a figure of $ 360 million as an initial estimate, for planning purposes; of the over-all financial requirements of UNHCR over the three-year period 1979-1981, an average of $ 120 million a year.

I wish to assure this Committee that UNHCR's operational partners in the field, as well as my staff, have been strongly urged to control and monitor expenditure as carefully as possible. I know, from experience in Government,

that donors would wish every dollar to reach the beneficiary for whom it is intended. In return, I would urge Governments to set aside appropriate allocations for UNHCR in their budgetary provisions, preferably on a three-year basis, so that they can announce generous contributions at the Pledging Conference.

Only thus can we begin the programme year at a reasonable pace of implementation and discharge effectively our responsibilities not only to the refugees, but to the many countries that have, generously, granted asylum despite the considerable costs to them.

Indeed, on this last point, I cannot be too emphatic. It is not easy to estimate the costs that countries of first asylum incur. They make available their arable land, their educational and administrative facilities. bear, on occasion, an incalculable cost on the social and political lives of their people. We must recognize this, and we should not take this for granted.

They also

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I should also add that UNHCR welcomes and encourages every effort of a complaentary kind that can benefit refugees and displaced persons. The substan- tive efforts of our colleagues in the United Nations system, in UNDP, UNICEF, WFP/FAO, WHO and other agencies, are of inestimable value. We have also streng- thened the nature of our co-operation with UNDRO and have concluded a memorandum of understanding in this regard. The efforts of the ICRC and League of Red Cross Societies, of our many close friends in the voluntary agencies and of our partners in ICEM, are all deeply appreciated by us. It goes without saying that, but for their effort and contributions, the costs to our programme would be infinitely higher and we would, moreover, lack what this work most needs - a continuing and co-operative endeavour by all those who have the interests of refugees at heart. My most sincere thanks are therefore conveyed to them.

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