• Text size Normal size text | Increase text size by 10% | Increase text size by 20% | Increase text size by 30%

UNHCR chief discusses southern Africa with Lesotho leader

News Stories, 10 June 2008

© UNHCR/S.Hopper
High Commissioner Guterres and Lesotho Prime Minister Mosisili look at UNHCR's Nobel Peace Prize medals.

GENEVA, June 10 (UNHCR) – UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili met in Geneva on Tuesday and discussed the situation in South Africa, including a recent wave of xenophobic attacks on foreigners.

The two men, during a wide-ranging discussion in the Geneva headquarters of the UN refugee agency, also discussed UNHCR's operations in the region and the emerging role of regional bodies, such as the South African Development Community (SADC), in addressing the growing challenge of mixed migration and contributing to stability in the region.

On the subject of South Africa, Guterres stressed that the recent wave of xenophobic attacks were the result of extreme poverty. "In such situations scapegoats are often foreigners, including refugees and asylum seekers," Guterres said. "But xenophobia is not specific to South Africa – it is a global problem and we see it also in some developed countries," he added.

Attacks during a two-week period last month left some 60 people dead, according to police, and tens of thousands of foreigners homeless around the country. UNHCR condemned the violence and immediately responded to this crisis. The High Commissioner stressed that his office in Pretoria continues to work closely with the South African government, helping it to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the victims.

Following the meeting, Mosisili visited UNHCR's Emergency Operations Room, where he was briefed on the agency's emergency response capacities and the ability to almost instantly deploy staff and resources where needed – such as in recent natural disasters in Myanmar and China.

UNHCR staff also briefed the Prime Minister on a first UNHCR layer in the innovative Google Earth programme. This powerful online mapping tool provides an up-close and multifaceted view of some of the world's major displacement crises and the humanitarian efforts aimed at helping the victims.

• DONATE NOW •

 

• GET INVOLVED • • STAY INFORMED •

Related stories by:

UNHCR country pages

The High Commissioner

António Guterres, who joined UNHCR on June 15, 2005, is the UN refugee agency's 10th High Commissioner.

UNHCR chief meets Malian refugees in Burkina Faso

On 1 August, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres travelled to northern Burkina Faso with the United States' Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BRPM), Anne Richard. In Damba camp, they met with Malian refugees who had fled northern Mali in the past six months to escape the ongoing conflict and political instability. To date, more than 250,000 Malian refugees have fled their homes and found refuge in neighbouring countries, including 107,000 in Burkina Faso alone. The UN refugee agency has only received one-third of the US$153 million it needs to provide life-saving assistance such as shelter, water, sanitation, health services, nutrition and protection to the refugees. UNHCR fears that the volatile political and humanitarian situation in Mali could lead to further outflows to neighbouring countries.

UNHCR chief meets Malian refugees in Burkina Faso

Angelina Jolie meets boat people in Malta, Lampedusa

Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie joined UNHCR chief António Guterres on the Italian island of Lampedusa, where they met with boat people who have fled unrest in North Africa.

More than 40,000 people, including refugees and asylum-seekers, have crossed the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats and descended on the small island since the beginning of the year.

The UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador flew to Lampedusa from Malta, which has also been a destination for people fleeing North Africa by boat.

Angelina Jolie meets boat people in Malta, Lampedusa

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visits Ecuador

Angelina Jolie, in Ecuador this past weekend, on her first field visit as the new Special Envoy of UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres.

In her previous role as a UN refugee agency Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie has conducted more than 40 field visits over the last decade. This is her third time in Ecuador - home to the largest refugee population in Latin America.

Ecuador currently hosts some 56,000 refugees and 21,000 asylum-seekers. It continues to receive 1,300 new applications for refugee status each month from people fleeing Colombia. Many live in remote and poor areas of the country close to the Colombian border.

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visits Ecuador

Lebanon: Guterres urges supportPlay video

Lebanon: Guterres urges support

On the first leg of his World Refugee Day visit to the region, the UN High Commissioner calls for support for Lebanon.
EnoughPlay video

Enough

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and the heads of four key UN sister organizations call on governments to find a political solution to the Syria crisis.
DR Congo: Central African Republic RefugeesPlay video

DR Congo: Central African Republic Refugees

Fighting and a coup since late last year in Central African Republic have forced more than 30,000 people to seek refuge in DR Congo. UNHCR chief António Guterres visited some of them.