4.
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Finally Deputy High Commissioner pointed out that procurement by UNHCR was much increased in 1985 UNHCR procured $83 million worth of goods and services in addition to $200 million in food aid (including World Food Programme contributions).
5.
Australia welcomed the increased allocation of resources to voluntary repatriation. They said that there must be a more energetic pursuit of durable solutions other than resettlement. Australia welcomed the working group on reporting and documentation. The current reporting system made it difficult for governments to judge the success of the implementation of UNHCR projects. There was a need for candid statistics and analysis ie much improved statistics and analysis. Donors needed full details of each country programme in order to help their decision making process.
6.
Australia also commended UNHCR for their improved cooperation and coordination with other UN organisations especially UNDP and the World Bank. They supported the integration of refugee assistance with longer term development aid.
However they would be interested to hear why a list of least developed countries deserving special assistance because of the refugees in their country would actually aid the process. Australia was interested in special camps for psychologically disturbed refugees - helping these refugees could be seen as a contribution to self-sufficiency.
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7. Switzerland also welcomed the improvement in the documentation which would help better decision making by donor governments. They noted with satisfaction the importance attached to evaluation and report of the technical inter- disciplinary missions. These instilled confidence between UNHCR and donors. Switzerland also hoped that the reorganisation of the office would strengthen the field activities of UNHCR and their ability to offer emergency assistance.
8. Algeria hoped that the budget constraints caused by the financial crisis were only temporary. They stressed the need for burden sharing to help least developed countries meet their obligations to refugees and called for increased resources for UNHCR operations in Africa. They also stated that there was a need to implement more self-sufficiency projects and for refugee needs to be included in the development programmes of countries of first asylum. However not all such countries were in a position to do this and it should not become a doctrine in the treatment of refugees if it were to the detriment of the host country. Algeria agreed that voluntary repatriation was generally the best solution but it depended upon the circumstances one had to eliminate the causes of exile and take into account the wishes of the refugee before undertaking repatriation programmes. Refugee situations are not uniform and should not be treated as such. Accordingly the use of the term "resettlement as a solution of last resort" should be
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