272. Once again the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICM) proved to be a most valuable partner, instrumental in making transportation arrangements for the rosettlement of large numbers of European, Indo-Chinese and Latin American refugees.
273. The generous support given UNHCR by the European Economic Community (EEC), valued at more than $14 million for 1978, demonstrated its growing role in the field of humanitarian assistance. For the first time the Community not only provided its traditional food aid, but also made donations in cash notably for UNHCR programmes in Bangladesh, in southern Africa, the Horn of Africa and in Zairo.
274. As regards the Council of Europe, UNHCR was represented at relevant meetings of the thirtieth session of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography and continued to follow the work of various other organs of relevance to the protection function of UNHCR, including the European Commission on Human Rights.
275. Relations with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) were developed during the reporting period, particularly in rolation to the problem of persons leaving the Indo-Chinese peninsula by small boat.
276. The Office has further strengthened its relations with a number of other regional organizations, such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the League of Arab States, and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee.
C. Co-operation with Liberation Movements
277. Pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, UNHCR continued to maintain close working relations with liberation movements recognized by the OAU and the United Nations. The African National Congress (ANC), the
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (FAC), the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO), the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) attended the twenty-ninth session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme in an observer capacity.
D. Relations between UNHCR and non-governmental organizations
(voluntary agencies)
278. During the year, UNHCR maintained relations with over 100 voluntary agencies which continued to provide important support to the Office in carrying out its tasks notably in the fields of protection of human rights promotion of refugee law, fund raising, publicity and as operational partners in the implementation of programmes in favour of refugees and displaced persons.
279. On the international level, UNHCR has close working links with the main co-ordinating bodies of the voluntary agencies such as the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council and the International Council of Voluntary bodies (ICVA). Contacts were also maintained with many co-ordinating bodies at the national level.
280. In order to associate the voluntary agencies not only with the execution but also with the formulation of UNHCR programos, a UNHCR/ICVA Contact Group has been
The Group meets regularly particularly to deal with emergency situations.
set up.
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