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A new Assistant High Commissioner
News Stories, 10 August 2001
GENEVA, AUG. 10 (UNHCR) – A veteran international diplomat, Kamel Morjane, Friday was named as the new Assistant High Commissioner for the U.N. Refugee Agency. He replaces Søren Jessen-Petersen who held the post since 1998.
Ambassador Morjane, 53, spent nearly 20 years with UNHCR before becoming Tunisia's representative to the United Nations in Geneva and, most recently, the U.N. Secretary-General's Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He is expected to begin work as the agency's third highest official Oct. 1.
Jessen-Petersen joined UNHCR in 1973. High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers said his "leadership, advice and wisdom benefited a huge number of staff in the organization."
- 1 Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees
- 2 UNHCR seeks US$145 million to help tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees
- 3 UNHCR Lebanon Update: Situation in North Lebanon, 4 February-10 February 2012
- 4 Somalis perish in new boat disaster in Gulf of Aden
- 5 UNHCR aid to countries receiving people fleeing clashes in northern Mali
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UNHCR country pages
Crush at the Tunisian border
At the Tunisia-Libya border, a heaving crush of thousands of people anxious to leave the insecurity of Libya gathered in no-man's land and on the Libyan side of the border on 2 March, 2011. Most were young men, principally migrant workers from Tunisia and Egypt. They were desperate to go home or find shelter and safety in Tunisia. After several nights sleeping out in the open, many were exhausted and hungry. As the crowd surged towards the border gate, several people were injured. The Tunisian Red Crescent is on hand to provide medical support for all those in need. UNHCR officials were also waiting on the Tunisian side of the border, supporting the Tunisian authorities and aid organizations.
Crush at the Tunisian border
Tunisia's tented transit camp
A new camp full of UNHCR tents, has sprung up close to Tunisia's border with Libya to provide shelter to thousands of migrant workers desperate to get hope. The UNHCR-run facility is already full, with 15,000 people from around Africa and Asia who have fled from Libya.
Most of the new arrivals are penniless and have no hope of making it home on their own. Many of the sub-Saharan Africans arriving at the camp say they fled because of threats and abuse, with some being attacked and robbed in their homes as well as at the checkpoints that have sprung up along many roads in Libya. Non-African arrivals also report having their belongings taken at the checkpoints, but say they have not been the victims of racism and threats.
With people continuing to arrive daily, UNHCR and other agencies are bracing themselves for what could be a large-scale humanitarian disaster if the fighting worsens and if large numbers of Libyans try to flee their country.
Tunisia's tented transit camp
Going home
During the past two weeks, UNHCR has worked with the Tunisian government, Tunisian Red Crescent and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to respond to the dramatic influx of over 90,000 people fleeing the violence in Libya. The majority are migrant workers from Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Vietnam. Tens of thousands were flown home following an appeal from UNHCR and IOM to governments to send flights to evacuate them.
Going home
Tunisia: Guterres at Choucha Camp
UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres revisits Choucha Camp in Tunisia and tells refugees he is searching for a solution for them.
Tunisia: Libyan Refugees
Over the past month more than 50,000 people, mostly ethnic Berbers, have across the Tunisia-Libya border at Dehiba. Some of them described why they fled Libya.
Tunisia: Angelina Jolie on the Libya Border
UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie visits refugees fleeing violence in Libya in a camp in Tunisia.