TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 185

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UNICEF was also closely involved in providing vitamin-enriched food supplements for the malnourished, as well as medicaments. The role played by UNDP in this operation has been a crucial one. As Special Representative of the High Commissioner, the UNDP Resident Representative continually supervises the inputs of the entire United Nations system and ensures that there is no duplication of effort in respect of contributions from voluntary agencies.

265. In the course of 1978 preparations were made for UNHCR participation in the International Year of the Child (IYC) in 1979. UNHCR participated in the meetings of the IYC Advisory Group, set up to co-ordinate the activities of the United Nations system, and also worked closely with the IYC Secretariats in New York and Geneva.

266. The support of UNDP in countries where UNHCR is not directly represented has continued to be of essential practical assistance to the Office. Thus, when the need arose, UNDP Representatives acted for UNHCR by approaching the competent authorities on behalf of refugees, often regarding urgent matters such as the grant of temporary asylum.

267. Throughout 1978 WFP provided food aid to hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons. The Programme played an integral part in most refugee situations, co-ordinating the bulk of the food aid. WFP and UNHCR are continually studying possible means to speed up the provision of emergency food aid by streamlining the relevant procedures and seeking to limit the period of refugee dependency on food aid. They also seek to promote the self-sufficiency in agriculture of large groups of rural refugees.

268. As regards the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General of IMCO made a joint appeal to the member states of IMCO for the rescue of persons leaving the Indo-Chinese peninsula in small boats who are found in distress at sea, and in renewing a similar appeal to ship owners, first made in 1977 through the International Chamber of Shipping.

269. The close relations UNHCR has maintained in previous years with the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO) have been further strengthened by the conclusion of a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the two Offices. This Memorandum will constitute the basis for future co-operation between the High Commissioner and the Co-ordinator.

270. UNHCR co-operated with many other agencies of the United Nations system including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In the first instance, informal advice or routine expertise has been made readily available from the relevant technical agency.

B.

Relations with other intergovernmental organizations

271. UNHCR maintained its close relations with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) both at Headquarters and in the field, particularly as regards assistance to refugees in southern Africa pursuant to General Assembly resolution 32/70. OAU was represented

at the twenty-ninth session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme. UNHCR was represented at sessions of the Council of Ministers of the OAU, and the High Commissioner attended the fifteenth summit Conference of Heads of State and Government.