TNAG-0898-FCO40-1108-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 90

UNITED NATIONS

ANNEX

NATIONS UNIES

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

Financial requirements for 1980

1. In resolution 33/26, the General Assembly having commended the

increasing number of contributors to the High Commissioner's Programmes

and emphasizing the need for a wider sharing of the financial burden, called upon Governments to provide the High Commissioner with necessary funds to attain the objectives of his humanitarian programme.

2. At its thirtieth session, held in Geneva in October 1979, the

Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme approved a

target for the UNHCR General Programmes for 1980, in an amount of

US$ 233,895,000. Taking into account possible requirements under the

Special Programmes, UNHCR's total financial requirements for 1980 are

likely to remain in the order of some US$ 300 million. Whilst the

principal refugee situation continues to be that in South East Asia,

there are equally pressing refugee situations in Africa and Latin

America for which UNHCR assistance will be required in 1980. The

proposed allocations for 1980 are summarized in the attached list.

3. To enable the High Commissioner to implement his humanitarian

programme, which represents the basic minimum of necessary international

assistance to refugees, it is essential that the greatest number of

Governments extend that financial participation, including those

Governments which have not contributed in previous years but which

are in a position to do so, as well as Governments which, having

contributed in the past, now have the capacity to increase substantially

their participation. All Governments are therefore urged to announce

maximum financial support to the UNHCR Annual Programme for 1980 at

the Pledging Conference on 16 November 1979.

4. Such announcements are all the more necessary because of the

unprecedented magnitude of funds required and in order to enable the

High Commissioner launch his programmes at the very beginning of

1980 in an orderly manner. Prompt announcements by dovernments of

maximum unearmarked contributions to the High Commissioner's programme

would thus avoid a piecemeal uneconomic implementation of the programmes

which, in the final analysis would be detrimental to the welfare of

needy refugees.

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