58. In recent years, the statute of the High Commissioner's Office has assumed increasing importance with the emergence of new refugee problems in countries not parties to the international instruments relating to the status of refugees. The statute, together with subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly, defines the mandate that has been entrusted to the High Commissioner by the international community. The practical significance of the statute derives from the fact that as a resolution of the General Assembly, it applies in respect of all States and provides a basis for UNHCR action to protect refugees irrespective of whether or not the State in which a refugee problem arises is a party to the Convention or to the Protocol or is a State which maintains the geographical limitation in respect of its obligations under these instruments. The statute continued to be a particularly effective instrument for UNHCR action during the reporting period.

2. The United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol

59. The United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol represent the most comprehensive codification of the rights and duties of refugees yet attempted at the universal level. The importance of the Convention and the Protocol and the desirability for States to accede to these instruments has been underlined by successive recommendations of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme and in various resolutions of the General Assembly and most recently on the regional level by the Arusha Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa. Pursuant to paragraph 8 (a) of the statute of his Office, the High Commissioner seeks to pro-mote further accessions to these basic international refugee instruments. During the period under review five States (Colombia, Liberia, Nicaragua, Rwanda and the Yemen Arab Republic) acceded to the Convention and/or to the Protocol. With these new accessions there are now 81 States parties to one or other or both, of these instruments and the High Commissioner has been informed that a number of other States are actively considering accession. It is nevertheless a matter of concern to the High Commissioner that nearly half of the membership of the United Nations, including a number of countries which are confronted with large-scale refugee problems, has not yet acceded to either the Convention or the Protocol.

60. A related question to which the High Commissioner attaches considerable importance, and which has received the attention of recent sessions of the Executive Committee, is that of the effective implementation of the Convention and the Protocol on the national level. The High Commissioner is in regular contact with the Governments of a number of States parties to the Convention and the Protocol with regard to various aspects of implementation, particularly as concerns procedures for determining refugee status (see para. 48 above). In some instances, UNHCR has been given the opportunity of commenting on draft legislation before it has been enacted.

3. Other international legal instruments relating to refugees adopted at the universal level

61. During the period under review nine further States ratified the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949. Protocol I contains important provisions relating to the status of refugees in armed conflict and to family reunification. There have been no further accessions to the 1957 Agreement and the 1973 Protocol relating to Refugee Seamen, to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, or to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The promotion of further accessions to these various instruments remains a matter of concern to the Office.

62. There have been some significant developments with respect to various other international instruments which, in a wider sense, are also relevant to refugees. Further States have acceded to or ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights--and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, bringing the total of States parties to these fundamental humanitarian instruments as at 31 March 1930 to 64 and 62 respectively.

63. The International Convention against the Taking of Hostages was adopted. By the General Assembly on 17 December 1979 (resolution 34/146). The article in this Convention relating to extradition is of particular note in that it provides that the request for the extradition of an alleged offender shall not be granted if there are reasons to believe that this request has been made for the purpose of persecuting or punishing that person on the grounds of his race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or Political opinion.

64. During the reporting period, with a view to ensuring that the interests of refugees were taken into account, the High Commissioner's Office participated in a number of meetings where new international instruments were under consideration. These included the Special Committee of Governmental Experts which is preparing a draft Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in States of Asia and Oceania and the Diplomatic Conference on the Revision of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. The Office also continued to follow developments in the Council of Europe, the OAU and in other international organizations on questions relating to the treatment of refugees.

4. International instruments concerning refugees adopted at the regional level

65. In the context of regional instruments relating to refugees, special mention should be made of the OAU Convention of 1969 governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. This instrument is of special significance in that it constitutes an invaluable regional complement to the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees in a continent where large-scale refugee problems exist. The OAU Convention gives expression to the fundamental principle of non-refoulement and contains, inter alia, important provisions concerning asylum and voluntary repatriation. During the reporting period there was one further accession to the OAU Convention, that of Rwanda, bringing the total number of States parties to the OAU Convention to 19. In view of the great significance of the OAU Convention in the African context, the Arusha Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa called upon States which have not yet done so to become parties to this instrument.

66. On the American continent, the American Convention on Human Rights of 1969 (the "Pact of San Jose, Costa Rica") contains important provisions relevant to asylum and gives expression to the fundamental principle of non-refoulement. The Convention is of importance for the protection of refugees in the American region in that some of the States parties have not yet acceded to the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and/or the 1967 Protocol. In Europe the 1959 Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees is of importance in facilitating the movement of refugees between States parties to the Agreement. Fourteen member States of the Council of Europe have become parties to this Agreement. There were no further accessions during the reporting period.

G. Dissemination of the principles of protection and of refugee law

67. The Office is aware that in addition to working closely with Governments in relation to international protection, efforts must also be made to create a generally favourable climate of opinion with regard to refugee law beyond government circles.

68. An important event in this regard was the Round Table of Asian Experts on the International Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons which was held under UNHCR auspices in Manila from 14 to 18 April (see para. 13 above). Further activities in the field of promotion and dissemination of refugee law included co-operation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Committee of the Red Cross and international academic institutions such as the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, at San Remo, the international Institute of Human Rights at Strasbourg and The Hague Academy of International Law. During the year, regular contact was also maintained and developed with non-governmental organizations active in refugee matters. With a view to advancing the teaching of refugee law in institutions of higher education throughout the world, during 1979 the Office made contact with the United Nations University in Tokyo and maintained close relations with a number of other national university centres. UNHCR also participated in a number of seminars on refugee law which were convened during the reporting period by non-governmental organizations.

CHAPTER II ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA

A. General developments

69. The continent of Africa remains the region of the world sheltering the greater part of all those persons of concern to UNHCR. Notwithstanding the critical situations which continue to face the Office in some areas of the continent, notably in the Horn of Africa, it is gratifying to be able to report that the period under review saw the satisfactory resolution, or beginnings to that end, of several refugee problems through voluntary repatriation. A change of regime in Equatorial Guinea brought about a climate in that country favourable for the return of tens of thousands of persons who had sought refuge elsewhere, and whilst events in Uganda in mid-1979 resulted in an exodus at that time, the following months saw a return movement, mainly from Kenya, Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania. In addition the UNHCR operation to assist with the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of Zairian refugees wishing to benefit from the amnesty decreed by President Mobutu in 1978 continued, for the benefit of some 190,000 persons.

70. At the end of 1979, agreement was reached at the Lancaster House Constitutional Conference in London on measures leading to independence for Southern Rhodesia as the new State of Zimbabwe. In the first two months of 1980 UNHCR carried out the first, pre-election phase of an operation to facilitate the voluntary return to that country of some 220,000 persons from Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia, and thus assist with relieving these three countries of a very significant burden on their national resources. At the request of the new Government of Zimbabwe, UNHCR was also designated to co-ordinate, for an initial period, a United Nations humanitarian assistance programme inside the country for the returnees and those displaced as a result of the years of conflict.

71. In the region of the Horn of Africa, the programmes of humanitarian assistance instituted in 1978 for the hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia continued throughout the period under review. In December 1979, a United Nations interagency mission visited Somalia to assess the precarious situation of refugees in camps there, following which, in February 1980, the Secretary-General of the United Nations drew the attention of Governments to the findings and requested UNHCR to co-ordinate contributions made available against the over-all requirements. The High Commissioner's own particular concern at the dimension and nature of the refugee problems in the three countries mentioned above as well as in the Sudan, where there remained large numbers of Ethiopians, led him to appoint a Special Co-ordinator for the area from among his staff.

72. Other sizable groups of refugees to whom UNHCR continued to provide assistance under the General Programmes included Angolan refugees in Zaire, refugees from Burundi in the United Republic of Tanzania, Rwandese in Uganda and Zairians remaining in Angola. Namibian refugees in various countries of southern Africa continued to receive attention, as did refugee students from South Africa. In pursuance of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, UNHCR, as in the past, channelled certain measures of assistance to refugees from colonial territories through national liberation movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity.

73. A very significant event which took place in 1979 was the Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa which was held at Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, in the month of May, under the joint sponsorship of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the OAU and UNHCR. The recommendations made by the Conference were subsequently endorsed by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity and by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of that Organization. In its turn the General Assembly of the United Nations, at its thirty-fourth session, adopted resolution 34/61 on the situation of African refugees which, inter alia., fully endorses these same recommendations and calls upon the High Commissioner to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session on the contributions made by his Office towards the implementation thereof. As indicated in the introduction to this report, the High Commissioner will comply with this request by means of a report to the thirty-first session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme to be held in October 1980 and the Committee's own report of that session. In January 1980, the High Commissioner convened a meeting of Permanent Representatives in Geneva of African States to exchange views on developments in refugee situations in Africa of concern to him and on the evolution of the relevant programmes.

74. Obligations in Africa in 1979 totalled over $43.7 million under UNHCR's General Programmes, and some $28 million under Special Programmes, as indicated in table 1 of annex II. As in past years, the greater part of the total amount (over $54 million) was for assistance towards local settlement. In addition nearly $2.2 million were made available from the Refugee Education Account and an amount of $250,000 was provided from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa for assistance to individual refugees.

B. Main developments in various countries or areas

1. Angola

75. Official government statistics put the number of refugees in Angola at the end of 1979 at 56,000, consisting of 20,000 Zairians, 35,000 Namibians and 1,000 South Africans. The reduction in the number of Zairian refugees resulted from a continuation and completion of the voluntary repatriation movement begun in 1978 as a result of an amnesty measure promulgated by the President of Zaire. The Zairians remaining in Angola who have chosen not to re-turn to their native land will be settled in the provinces of Luanda, Malange, Kwanza Norte and Kwanza Sul, with a view to their achieving self-sufficiency in agriculture.

76. An amount of $1.5 million was obligated in 1979 under the UNHCR programme of assistance to Namibians in Angola, implemented through the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), to provide them with shelter, domestic articles, food-stuffs, medicaments, clothing and agricultural tools. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) also made significant additional contributions, as did the World Food Programme (WFP). All the different agencies of the United Nations system represented in Luanda maintained close contact to ensure the best possible co-ordination of effort.

77. In March 1979, the Government of Angola requested assistance for former refugees returning voluntarily from Zaire. At that time an initial group of 50,000 had returned by their own means. UNHCR obligated an amount of $1,710,500 in favour of their immediate needs and for the purchase of agricultural tools, seeds, water supply equipment and educational equipment. WFP granted food aid worth some $860,000 over a five-month period. Negotiations are currently taking place between the Governments of Angola and Zaire concerning the possibility of an organized large-scale movement, in close co-operation with UNHCR, of those Angolan refugees still in Zaire who wish to return voluntarily to their homeland. In this connexion, UNHCR/WFP/WHO interagency missions have already made some preliminary assessments of eventual requirements inside Angola.

78. As stated in the High Con-missioner's last report (E/19'T9/95) UNHCR assisted 1,100 Angolans to return from Portugal in the early part of 1979, and an additional 3,000 persons returned from Zambia, also with the assistance of UNHCR.

79. A total amount of $2,926,000 was obligated for assistance in Angola during 1979 under General Programmes, and an amount of $2,109,900 under Special Programmes, including over $315,700 made available from the Trust Fund for South Africa.

2. Djibouti

80. While it was estimated towards the end of 1978 that approximately 12,500 refugees from Ethiopia were living in the two camps of Ali Sabieh and Dikhil situated in the southern part of the country, the numbers increased to some 14,500 during the latter part of 1979 according to government sources. These same sources estimated that 13,735 urban refugees were living in Djibouti town at the end of 1979, and that the total number of refugees in the country was 28,800.

81. UNHCR provided regular food rations for refugees living in the camps to complement the basic items supplied by WFP, as well as soap and domestic utensils. Other items, including food, tents and blankets, were made available by voluntary agencies. Under a project started in 1978, five water basins were completed in Ali Sabieh in 1979. A prefabricated medical ward was constructed there, and work on the construction of 500 dwellings, begun in 1978, continued, as did work on a further 500 dwellings at Dikhil under the same project. At Ali Sabieh funds were obligated for the construction of a nutritional centre, and in both camps improvements were made to the water and electricity supply. A provision was made for primary education. The French associations, Volontaires du progrés and Médecins sans frontières, continued to provide protect supervisors and medical personnel in the two camps.

82. In agriculture, the pilot project for irrigated farming which was initiated in 1978 progressed well in 1979. Twelve refugee families and an equal number of nationals participated.

83. Opportunities for the local integration of urban refugees in Djibouti town remained extremely scarce throughout the reporting period. A handful of individuals only were resettled, some 280 students were accepted in the educational systems of other countries, including 260 in Egypt, and a few students were accepted in secondary and technical schools in Djibouti town.

84. At the Government's request, and to relieve the pressures created in Djibouti town by the size of the refugee population there, UNHCR planned the construction of a transit/reception centre at Ali Sabieh for up to 500 young urban refugees. It is intended that some training will be provided at this centre, with a view to improving chances of resettlement.

85. Funds were also made available in 1979 for the purchase of a prefabricated building to be used by a legal service established within the Government in order to facilitate the procedures for the determination of refugee status in Djibouti. The project is planned for completion in 1980.

86. Total obligations in Djibouti in 1979 amounted to $1,379,400 under the General Programmes and to $656,100 under Special Programmes, including an amount of $250,740 provided from funds received in response to the High Commissioner's 1978 appeal in respect of humanitarian assistance in the region of the Horn of Africa.

3. Egypt

87. The refugee population in Egypt in 1979 remained in the region of 5,000 persons. Of the assistance provided by UNHCR under the General Programmes, something approaching half the total expenditures was in the field of lower secondary education for the benefit of 264 refugee students, mainly Africans, and a further 25 per cent of the expenditures were directed at local integration measures. Some 600 refugees, mostly of Ethiopian and Armenian origin, benefited in this area, where the aim was to provide regular financial support as well as assistance towards primary education and vocational training, and to safeguard the health of the elderly and others who were in need of proper nourishment or special care. In addition, 55 persons were assisted to resettle in other countries, counselling activities benefited over 1,000 persons and some 600 persons were provided with supplementary assistance. Total obligations in 1979 under the General Programmes amounted to $556,000.

88. Obligations under Special Programmes amounted to some $479,200, of which $381,700 were allocated from the Education Account for the benefit of 215 refugee students attending secondary or other higher educational establishments. Further educational assistance was provided for Ethiopian refugees from Djibouti under the programme of assistance for refugees from the region of the Horn of Africa. Three donors provided funds to pay allowances to aged and handicapped Armenian refugees, and a small amount was made available from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa to refugees from that country.

4. Ethiopia

89. During the reporting period the estimated number of refugees in Ethiopia remained at around 10,900, the majority of Sudanese origin. Refugees from southern Sudan had settled in the Gambela area and a group from northern Sudan in the Gondar region. A small number of refugees of other origins reside in Addis Ababa and other urban areas.

90. A small-scale industrial project, on which a number of refugees in the Addis Ababa area could be engaged, has been designed with the assistance of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and financing is under study. In addition, a number of urban refugees have undertaken retraining measures with a view to improving their employment prospects. Efforts continue to be made to identify durable solutions for the refugees in the rural areas.

91. In March 1980 the Government estimated at 750,000 the number of persons displaced in Ethiopia as a result of the conflict in the Ogaden region. The special Programme of humanitarian assistance, begun in 1970 to cater for the most needy of these persons, continued in 1979 and 1980. By the end of September 1979. the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) under the Ethiopian Government was supervising 287 rural settlements in Bale province and 23 in Sidamo. UNHCR has provided basic domestic requirements and has instituted programmes to assist in the achievement of self-,sufficiency in agriculture. Food requirements are being covered largely by WFP and the European Economic Community, and by bilateral arrangements.

92. In addition, under this special programme, UNHCR is providing funds for the reconstruction of communal facilities, including schools and clinics, for the improvement of water supply systems, and for assistance towards the reconstruction of private dwellings on a self-help basis.

93. UNHCR obligated a total of $325,200 for assistance in Ethiopia in 1979 under the General Programmes, and $2,580,100 under Special Programmes, including an amount of $9,000 made available from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

5. Kenya

94. Events in Uganda in 1979 led to an influx of some 4,000 nationals of that country into Kenya, many of whom repatriated later in the year. Other new arrivals numbered some 400, mainly of Ethiopian and Rwandese origin. The total number of refugees in Kenya at the end of the year was some 700 less than at the end of the previous year, at an estimated level of 5,800 persons comprising some 3,500 Ugandans and approximately 1,000 Ethiopians, with the remaining caseload mainly from Mozambique and Rwanda. Of the total number of Ugandan refugees some 1,400 persons had repatriated by the end of 1979 with the assistance of UNHCR.

95. Most of the refugees in Kenya live in and around the main urban areas. Assistance provided in 1979 included various measures designed to facilitate local integration - amongst them the offer of salary subsidies to encourage prospective employers to hire refugees - as well as monthly subsidies towards accommodation, clothing, transport and medical expenses, and financial assistance for education and vocational training within the national system.

96. The centre for the reception of asylum-seekers at Thika, near Nairobi, constructed to accommodate 140 persons, could not be brought into operation in 1979 for technical reasons. However, it is expected to become operational in 1900 and will also serve refugees in transit through Kenya.

97. Work on the establishment of the projected rural settlement at Witu, on land provided by the Kenyan Government, mentioned in the last annual report, [14] has continued, and it is envisaged that the population of around 2,000 persons, of different origins, will be installed in 1980 with a view to their achieving self-sufficiency in agriculture.

98. For the implementation of its programmes in Kenya, UNHCR benefits from the co-operation of government services, UNICEF, and voluntary agencies including the Joint Refugee Services of Kenya, the All African Conference of Churches, the Kenya Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies.

99. A total of $2,065,900 was obligated during 1979 to finance project in Kenya, including $1,360,200 under General Programmes, notably for supplementary aid and local integration measures. An allocation of $66,000 was made from the Emergency Fund in response to the immediate needs of refugees arriving from Uganda. Obligations under Special Programmes amounted to $705,700, of which $454,221 were made available from the Education Account.

6. Mozambique

100. During 1979 Mozambique provided refuge for a growing number of Zimbabwean refugees. From a level of 100,000 at the beginning of the year, the caseload increased to 150,000 by the end of 1979. The majority of the refugees were placed in five large rural settlements sponsored by UNHCR - Doroi, Tronga, Mavudzi, Matenge and Memo -. while a. number of people were living in spontaneous settlements among the indigenous population.

101. UNHCR also assisted a smaller number of individual refugees from various countries, including South Africa, who were staying in Mozambique or were in transit, and contributed towards the costs of a Government-run reception centre in Maputo where many of these persons stayed. The Government continued to be the sole implementing agency for all UNHCR projects in Mozambique.

102. In the course of 1979 the assistance to refugees was disrupted by various factors. In the first place the settlements suffered harassment by Southern Rhodesian forces, and in addition floods on the one hand damaged access roads, causing vehicles to break down and disrupting the transportation of materials, and a severe drought on the other hand affected the agriculture programme, which, together with the raising of livestock, remained the principal activity of the refugees, who were thus able to pursue their past occupations.

103. For security reasons, the largest of the settlements, Doroi and Tronga, were divided into smaller units, each with its own service compound. This move entailed additional construction.

104. At the beginning of 1980, in the first phase of a voluntary repatriation operation which took place before elections in Southern Rhodesia towards the end of February, UNHCR assisted approximately 11:000 Zimbabweans to return to their homeland from Mozambique. However, in view of the enormousness of the reconstruction task facing the new Government of Zimbabwe, it is expected that the UNHCR programmes for Zimbabweans in Mozambique will be needed for some time yet. This is particularly the case for orphans and unaccompanied children, and other vulnerable groups. Special attention has been focused on the welfare of refugee children in order to protect them from the stresses of their environment and the effects of prolonged idleness. Arrangements have been made for sporting activities and for formal education, and a home for children under five years of age is being established in Nampula province.

105. The World Food Programme (WFP) continued to carry the main burden of providing the refugees in Mozambique with staple foods. Further food shipments were provided by the European Economic Community and the Government of the United States of America. Supplementary and enriched food programmes for children and mothers were provided from UNHCR funds and by other donors.

106. Obligations under General Programmes in 1979 for programmes in Mozambique amounted to $11,587,4000 of which $4.4 million were for assistance to refugees in settlements. Under Special Programmes $1,929,600 were obligated, including $20,000 for assistance to South African refugees for the period July-1979 to June 1980 made available from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

7. Somalia

107. Large numbers of people continued to arrive in Somalia in the course of 1979 from the neighbouring regions of Ethiopia. At the end of the year the Government estimated the total number of refugees in the country at 1,175,000, of whom 475,000 were in camps, 700,000 living among the local population, and others continuing their traditional nomadic life. The majority of the refugees in camps were women and children, and many of the men were elderly, ill or handicapped.

108. As a result of the continuing influx, the UNHCR programme of assistance in the country had to be revised upwards several times in 1979, with a substantial part of the programme concentrated on the immediate relief requirements in the camps. Funds were also provided for transportation, improvement of water supply systems, educational purposes and the extension of small-scale agricultural projects.

109. In addition, assistance was granted to an increasing number of urban refugees living mainly in Mogadishu.

110. With the increase in camp population reaching an average of 1,500 persons per day in the last quarter of 1979, a multidisciplinary United Nations interagency mission, initiated by the Secretary-General, went to Somalia in December 1979. It was composed of representatives of the Secretary-General, UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, WFP, ILO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNESCO, WHO and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank). On the basis of an estimated average of 640,000 refugees in camps in 1930, the mission concluded that, in addition to over 83,400 tons of food commodities, various immediate relief measures totalling some $40.7 million would be required for the camps in 1980. The High Commissioner addressed an appeal to the international community on 4 March 1980 for contributions towards the requirements.

111. In its activities in Somalia, UNHCR has worked closely with the Office of the National Commissioner for Refugees, and has received valuable support from a number of voluntary agencies, including the Somali Red Crescent Society, Oxfam, Médecins sans frontières, the Catholic Institute for International Relations and the Federazione di Organismi Christiani di Servizio Internazionale Volontario.

112. Total obligations in Somalia in 1979 amounted to $4,569,200 under the General Programme and $2,729,300 under Special Programmes.

8. Southern Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland)

113. In 1977, the Secretary-General appointed the High Commissioner as coordinator within the United Nations system of assistance to South African refugee students. The programme of assistance for such refugees in Botswana Lesotho and Swaziland formed the basis of an appeal issued in June 1977 which was also designed to meet the over-all needs of southern African refugees in various African countries. The High Commissioner continues to fulfil this co-ordinating role.

114. The number of refugees in Botswana at the end of 1979 was 23,327, mostly Zimbabweans (22,531), with the remainder of Angolan, Namibian, South African and other origins. The total represented an increase of some 4,700 over the previous year.

115. In Lesotho, the total number of registered refugees was 503 at the end of 1979, of whom 365 had arrived in the course of the year. Other persons awaiting determination of their status by the Government are also assisted by UNHCR, and in addition the authorities estimate that refugee students, who are not formally registered, occupy a considerable number of places in primary and secondary schools and at universities.

116. In Swaziland the registered refugee population at the end of 1979 was 5,047, of whom 359 were new refugees, mostly South Africans.

117. UNHCR action to assist refugee students was included in the Secretary-Generalls report on assistance to South African refugee students which he made to the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth session (A/34/345). In Botswana, most of the refugees stayed at the transit centres at Francistown and Selebi-Pikwe, and at the agricultural settlement established at Dukwe in 1978. This latter settlement , which accommodated over 11,500 persons at the end of 1979, provided for some easing of the congestion in the transit centres, from which 3,000 refugees were also transferred to Zambia in the course of the year. Work on establishing Dukwe was largely completed in 1979, but agricultural activity was hampered by poor rainfall.

118. At the beginning of 1980, in the first phase of a voluntary repatriation operation which took place before elections in Southern Rhodesia towards the end of February, UNYICR assisted 18,203 Zimbabwean refugees to return to their country of origin. These departures enabled the transit centres at Francistown and Selebi-Pikwe to be closed and reduced the caseload of Zimbabweans in the Dukwe settlement to a negligible number. The Government decided that continued use would be made of Dukwe, to accommodate mainly South African refugees from urban areas of Botswana.

119. As regards assistance to individual refugees, 20 schemes were financed in 1979 to promote local integration and almost 50 were under consideration. Social counselling was undertaken by the Botswana Council for Refugees. The Educational Resource Centre at Gaborone, run by the Mennonite Central Committee, continued to provide correspondence courses and tuition at the lower secondary level, and 139 students of various nationalities found places at university and in other educational establishments in the national system. Of these, 71 were placed as part of an agreement under which UNHCR is financing the construction of two secondary schools. Over 250 southern African refugees travelled to other countries in Africa, to the Federal Republic of Germany and to the United States to continue their studies.

120. In Lesotho, the UNHCR programme focusing on educational facilities at the secondary and technical levels, and which is aimed at encouraging the authorities to continue their liberal admissions Policy towards South African refugee students, has continued. The construction of 18 additional classrooms, 5 laboratories and staff accommodation began in June 1979. In addition, funds were obligated towards the construction and equipping of three workshops and staff offices for tailoring, dressmaking and upholstery courses at the Lesotho Technical Institute. A further amount was obligated towards the construction of a transit centre for South African refugees, at Maseru. Counselling was provided for some 500 refugees by the newly-formed Refugee Counselling Service.

121. In Swaziland, plans are under preparation for determining the feasibility of establishing a rural settlement for some 3,000 South African refugees in the south-eastern re-ion of the country. In the education field, the Mpaka Refugee Centre opened in May 1979 with 120 pupils (the Centre offers 200 places), of whom. 33 were South African refugees. Individual refugees benefited from counselling services and 138 refugees were assisted with travel expenses for resettlement in other countries.

122. A total of $5,576,400 was obligated by UNHCR in Botswana ($4,359,900), Lesotho ($610,600) and Swaziland ($605,900): $5,045,400 under General Programmes and $531,000 under Special Programmes. Of the total amount,, $136,000 were made available from the United nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

9. Sudan

123. Refugees continued to enter the Sudan in large numbers in 1979. In the south refugees arrived from Uganda, in the east from Ethiopia, and in the west, though to a lesser extent, from Chad. The total number of refugees was estimated at 350,000 at the end of 1979. Official figures released in March 1980 put the caseload at 441,000 refugees in the country, comprising 390,000 from Ethiopia, 39,000 from Uganda, 5,000 from Zaire and 7,000 from Chad. While few refugees left the country to be reunited permanently with their families elsewhere, some 7,000 refugees left on a temporary basis for other countries where they had found employment. In the course of the year emergency programmes were instituted as a result of a sudden influx of 20,000 refugees from Ethiopia into the Red Sea province and also following the arrival of some 35,000 refugees from Uganda in the southern part of the country. These programmes included the opening of sub offices in Port Sudan and Juba.

124. Of the 10,000 Ethiopian refugees in the temporary camp in Was-el-Hileiwu, some 12,000 were moved to the established rural settlements at Abu Rakham, Um Gargu, Karkora, Oala-en-Nahal and Suki. In addition, 6,000 rural refugees were accommodated in new settlements at Khasm-el-Ghirba and New Halfa. By the end of 1979 the total number of refugees in rural settlements throughout the country had reached 42,000. Under the programmes for 1980, it is planned that up to 100,000 refugees can be accommodated by the end of the year.

125. From the appropriation for multipurpose assistance to Ugandan refugees, 185 persons were assisted in voluntary repatriation, resettlement, local settlement and were provided with supplementary aid. Moreover, 25,000 Ugandans were provided with assistance in the form of shelter, agricultural implements, medicaments and other measures to satisfy immediate requirements.

126. Just over 100 refugees received assistance to repatriate to Zaire and Ethiopia.

127. Other assistance provided included supplementary aid, medical assistance for handicapped cases, counselling, and educational assistance to some 2,500 refugees at the secondary and higher levels.

128. Obligations in the Sudan in 1979 under the General Programmes amounted to $3,891,100 including $683,000 made available from the Emergency Fund, and under the Special Programmes to $838,300.

10. Uganda

129. Although the number of refugees in Uganda at the end of 1979 remained unchanged, at around 112,400, from the previous year, the events occurring in the country in the course of the year caused disruption to the organized rural settlements, some of which were destroyed, and to those refugees living in urban areas. Of the total caseload some 78,000 persons were of Rwandese origin, 34,000 Zairian and the remaining 400 of various origins. Prior to the events of 1979 about $42,000 refugees, mainly Rwandese, lived in eight rural settlements and were self-sufficient. Most of the remaining refugees lived in urban areas and were well integrated socially and economically.

130. Following a request to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by the new Government of Uganda in May 1979, the High Commissioner issued an appeal in July 1979 for an amount of some $13.3 million in respect of a programme to provide immediate assistance to displaced refugees and Ugandans within the country., and to Ugandan refugees outside the country wishing to repatriate. Of this latter category about 4,000 persons have so far returned to Uganda with UNHCR assistance since the beginning of the operation, mainly from Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Sudan. Several thousand persons in addition have returned by their own means. An agreement has been concluded with the Government of Uganda for the period to 31 December 1980 which should facilitate implementation of the over-all programme, to the extent that the international community makes available the necessary funds.

131. Apart from the additional activities undertaken in Uganda as a result of the particular humanitarian needs arising in 1979, UNHCR also pursued existing programmes relating to local integration, education, supplementary aid and, to a limited extent, resettlement and repatriation. South African refugees were assisted under the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

132. Total obligations in Uganda during 1979 amounted to $1,575,300 under General Programmes, including $300,000 made available from the Emergency Fund in favour of displaced refugees inside the country and $2,477,400 under Special Programmes.

11. United Republic of Tanzania

133. The number of 160,000 refugees of concern to UNHCR in the United 'Republic of Tanzania at the beginning of 1979 was reduced during the year by the voluntary repatriation of some 4,000 Ugandan refugees to their country of origin. The remaining 156,000 included some 129,500 refugees from Burundi, 26,000 Rwandese and small groups of various other origins.

134. Most of the refugees from Burundi were accommodated in the three rural settlements of Katumba (over 69,000 persons), Ulyankulu (over 23,000 persons) and Mishamo (nearly 27,000 persons) at the end of 1979. Of these three settlements, Katumba had been handed over to the Government in mid-1978, and progress on work at Ulyankulu, which is being reorganized from 13 villages to 11, is advancing to the extent that it is expected to be handed over on schedule in June 1980. At Mishamo, established in 1973., good progress was also made in 1979, mainly due to the application of the principle of self-help in clearing, tilling and sowing seed and in the construction of homes and communal facilities. The land for the settlements at Ulyankulu and Mishamo was made available by the Government-, which also has administrative support services on site. The Lutheran World Federation/Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service has provided financial assistance and contributions in kind.

135. In the early part of 1979 funds were obligated for the completion of the community education Centre and the water supply scheme at the Kigwa settlement, where 2,000 refugees from Uganda were accommodated. However, events occurring in Uganda later in the year Lave rise to the voluntary repatriation of Ugandans, with the result that -the caseload there was drastically reduced. Consultations were begun with the Government concerning the future use of the settlement facilities.

136. In addition to the programmes relating to the settlements, UNHCR also provided assistance to individual refugees of various origins, including southern African refugee students. Fields covered included local integration, supplementary aid, education, counselling, resettlement and repatriation. In education and agriculture funds were made available., inter alia., towards the operation of an African National Congress vocational training school/community Centre and also for the expansion of a farm project under the auspices of the Patriotic Front/Zimbabwe African National Union. Unforeseen circumstances delayed the completion of the secondary school project at Tunduru, financed from trust funds made available to UNHCR. Construction work continued into 1980.

137. Total UNHCR obligations in the United Republic of Tanzania in 1979 under the General Programmes amounted to $3,668,500 including $3,666,250 for local integration measures (rural settlements and individuals), and to $472,800 under the Special Programmes.

12. Zaire

138. The total number of refugees in Zaire was estimated to be around 299,000 at the end of 1979, with some 215,000 Angolans in the Bas-Zaire, Kinshasa, Bandundu and Shaba regions, 50,000 Ugandans in the Upper Zaire and Kivu regions, 11,000 Burundi and 22,000 Rwandese in the Kivu region, and 1,000 Zambians in the Shaba region. Some 190,000 Zairians in the Shaba and Kivu regions, former refugees who had returned under the voluntary repatriation operation begun in 1978, were also assisted under the Special Programmes.

139. In the Bas-Fleuve subregion of Bas-Zaire, the rural settlement programme implemented since 1977 by the Association Internationale de dèveloppement rural (AIDR) continued to progress satisfactorily. The number of Angolan refugees in the three rural settlements Kinbianga, Lundu Matende and Mfuiki increased from some 25,000 at the end of 1978 to 26,633 refugees (4,908 families) at the end of 1979. A programme for a further period from July 1979 to the end of 1981 was drawn up with AIDR in 1979.

140. In the field of agriculture the targets set have been on the whole reached, but irregular and insufficient rainfall in 1979 has jeopardized the prospects for the current growing season.

141. Food aid continued through 1979 in the Bas-Fleuve not only in the above settlements but also outside them. Blankets and soap were also distributed, as well as used clothing donated by the Danish Refugee Council. In the field of medicine emphasis has been placed on preventive programmes, in particular for mothers and children, and on health education.

142. The primary education programme continued during 1979 with some 6,193 pupils attending school.

143. In the Cataractes subregion of Bas-Zaire a programme to assist the spontaneous integration of Angolan refugees was begun in 1979. Under this programme some 3,000 houses were provided, and food aid (from WFP and Governments), blankets, agricultural tools and domestic utensils were distributed by a team of Swiss volunteers. Seeds and cuttings were distributed to some 60,000 beneficiaries.

144. A programme of education in nutrition and hygiene was undertaken by two doctors from Médicins sans frontières and one provided by the Swiss authorities, and in the field of primary education existing schools had sufficient capacity for some 15,000 refugee schoolchildren.

145. In the Upper Zaire and the Kivu regions an influx of some 50,000 Ugandan refugees took place in April/May 1979. A relief operation undertaken with an allocation from the Emergency Fund was followed by a local integration programme, continuing into 1980, providing for the purchase of basic assistance commodities, seeds, kitchen utensils, medicaments, and for medical treatment.

146. The rural settlement and local integration projects in favour of Burundi refugees in South Kivu were successfully completed at -the end of 1979 with the beneficiaries achieving self-sufficiency.

147. Of the some 190,000 Zairians who returned to the country under the terms of the amnesty decreed by the President in 1973, and for whom UNHCR provided assistance for repatriation and reintegration, the majority (around 155,000) were in the Shaba province. The material assistance provided to these persons by UNHCR in 197.0 was valued at more than $8 million in case and in kind. In addition WFP made available approximately 12,000 metric tons of food-stuffs. At the request of the Government of Zaire the High Commissioner agreed to extend this programme to the end of June 1980 to overcome the effect of certain delays in implementation. UNHCR is also studying, together with Médecins sans frontières, means of maintaining a medical presence beyond this date limit.

148. Under a repatriation project in favour of Angolan refugees in Zaire, 411 refugees were transported by air from Kinshasa to Luanda. This project has been extended into 1930 to continue the repatriation of small groups of Angolans pending the possible repatriation of larger numbers.

149. Total obligations in Zaire in 1979 amounted to $6.273,200 under the General Programmes and $19,276,900 under the Special Programmes.

13. Zambia

150. The number of refugees in Zambia, estimated at some 80,000 at the end of 1978, decreased considerably towards the end of 1979 owing to the voluntary and spontaneous repatriation of some 20,000 Zimbabweans, as well as smaller numbers of Angolans and Zairians. At the end of the year, the number of refugees in the country was estimate at 57,000 comprising 25,000 Zimbabweans, 26,000 Angolans, 5,500 Namibians and smaller groups from various other countries.

151. During 1979 the provision of assistance was hampered by the continuation of raids by Southern Rhodesian forces which resulted in the destruction of roads, railways and bridges and the consequent disruption of transportation of supplies and equipment. The problems were compounded by shortages, particularly of building Materials and price increases.

152. In view of the limited scope for durable solutions to the refugees' problems, multipurpose assistance was the major form of assistance in Zambia in 1979. A total of $5 223,001 was obligated for assistance to Zimbabweans and Namibians as well as to small numbers from other countries.

153. The largest single amount, $1,447,515, was obligated for the third phase of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) girls' school complex near Lusaka which was initiated in 1977. Due to the increase in the number of refugee girls and women from 3,000 to some 8,000 by August 1979, the facilities were expanded to more than double their initial size. Funds were also obligated in respect of furniture for 60 classrooms. A further sum of nearly $700,000 was obligated for the purchase of immediate needs for refugee babies and mothers. Assistance to some 12,000 young Zimbabwean boys, temporarily accommodated in a centre in the North--Western Province of Zambia, was provided at a cost of well over $1 million. A land survey was carried out and plans were finalized towards the end of the year for the creation of a complex for the boys, consisting of six villages, schools and other facilities. No further action was taken with regard to the actual implementation in view of the possible future voluntary repatriation of these young Zimbabweans as a result of the agreement reached at the Lancaster House Conference in London concerning an independent Zimbabwe. In early 1979 funds were obligated for emergency food and other supplies following Southern Rhodesian air-.raids on refugee centres in Zambia. Other forms of assistance to Zimbabwean refugees included the provision of tools, equipment and supplies for farm programmes.

154. Multipurpose assistance for voluntary repatriation, for costs of documentation and transportation relating to family reunification and resettlement cases and for subsistence was also provided for individual refugees or small groups.

155. In addition, assistance was provided, as in the past, for the SWAPO Health and Education Centre at Nyango for Namibian refugees, the African National Congress farms near Lusaka for South African refugees, and under the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

156. At the beginning of 1930 UNHCR undertook the first, pre-election, phase of a mass voluntary repatriation operation in favour of Zimbabwean refugees (see sections on Zimbabwe, southern Africa and Mozambique). By the end of this phase nearly 5,300 Zimbabweans had repatriated, including those repatriated by ZAPU.

157. The rural settlement at Meheba, which houses approximately 10,000 refugees, predominantly Angolans but some Zairians, is the only UNHCR assisted settlement in Zambia, and is administered under a tripartite with the Government and the Lutheran World Federation/Zambian Christian Refugee Service. Progress continued throughout the period under review, both on the work of completing the infrastructure and in implementing self-sufficiency project, (agriculture, livestock, carpentry, baking, sewing and milling co-operatives, domestic and child--care courses for the women). The settlement is expected to be ready for handing over to the Government in the course of 1981. Plans are being drawn up for a reorganization of the settlement into seven villages with a view to reviving a community spirit amongst the inhabitants and to encouraging them to -talked or, increased responsibilities.

158. Approximately 220 refugee students benefited from assistance towards their education at various levels.

159. As in past years urban refugees continued to find employment Prospects limited, and so UNHCR assistance to these persons remained centred on care and maintenance, and counselling provided by the service offered jointly with the Christian Council of Zambia. Some work remained to be done to the transit centre at Makeni, on the outskirts of Lusaka furniture and equipment were required and the staffing and management was under discussion at the end of 1979.

160. Total UNHCR obligations in Zambia in 1979 under the General Programmes amounted to $5,585,900, and under Special Programmes to $833,700.

14. Zimbabwe

161. As a result of the agreement signed in December 1979, at the end of the Lancaster House Constitutional Conference in London, the United Kingdom Government assumed direct responsibility for the administration of Southern Rhodesia during an interim period leading to elections and the transfer of power to an independent Zimbabwe.

162. At the request of the United Kingdom Government, and with the agreement of the parties concerned, UNHCR undertook to co-ordinate a repatriation operation for the benefit of those Zimbabwean refugees (estimated at some 220,000) wishing to return to their homeland. The great majority of the refugees had been given asylum in Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia, where they were assisted by UNHCR. It had been agreed at Lancaster House that it was desirable that as many as possible should be able to return in order to exercise their franchise. The operation was therefore planned to take place in two phases, before the elections at the end of February 1980, and after, under the authority of the independent Government. The total cost of the operation was estimated at some $22 million, in respect of which the High Commissioner issued an appeal to the international community in January 1980. A UNHCR presence was established in Southern Rhodesia and additional staff members were deployed to Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia. During the first phase of the operation in January and February 1980, all Zimbabweans wishing to return from Botswana repatriated, 18,203 of whom did so under UNHCR auspices. From Mozambique and Zambia totals of 10,935 and 4,292 respectively were repatriated by UNHCR. In this phase of the operation UNHCR worked closely with the United Kingdom and. Local authorities, with the Governments of the asylum countries, with the Patriotic Front (Zimbabwe African National Union and ZAPU) and with voluntary agencies, including the Lutheran World Federation, which acted as the implementing partner in Botswana and Zambia, the International Committee of the Red Cross which provided medical tears at the reception centres, and the heads of denominations of the churches of Zimbabwe, on whose behalf Christian Care coordinated assistance to the repatriants after they left the reception centres. Total obligations for the first phase of the repatriation operation amounted to $11,150,000 at 31 March 1980. The second phase was begun on 24 April 1980.

163. At the end of March 1980, in accordance with a proposal made by the Prime Minister-designate of Zimbabwe, the Secretary-General of the United. Nations requested the High Commissioner to co-ordinate, for an initial period, a United Stations programme for the rehabilitation of returning refugees and displaced persons within Zimbabwe. A United Nations interagency team, led by UNHCR, travelled to Zimbabwe and, in consultation with the new Government, prepared a programme centring on the reinstallation needs for up to 660,000 returnees and internally displaced persons over a 12-month period to April 1981. These needs, including immediate assistance in settlement and agriculture, were valued at. $110 million. In addition, various food needs were estimated at 113,000 tonnes. On 13 April 1980, the High Commissioner appealed to the international community for resources to make it possible for the Government of Zimbabwe and- the United Nations system to respond to these urgent needs.

15. Other countries in Africa

164. In other countries in Africa, mainly the central and western areas, there were approximately 137,000 refugees of concern to UNHCR at the end of 1979.

165. Following the change of regime in Equatorial Guinea in 1979, the new Government requested UNHCR to assist with the repatriation and rehabilitation of refugees returning voluntarily to their homeland. Total obligations under General and Special Programmes amounted to almost $1,886,720 of which an amount of $1,600.000 was made available under Special Programmes for assistance in the fields of agriculture, health, education and transportation. As a result of the spontaneous repatriation to spontaneous repatriation Equatorial Guinea from Gabon of some 30,000 persons the total caseload of refugees in Gabon had decreased to about 30,000 at the end of 1979. In the United Republic of Cameroon, the caseload of refugees decreased in a similar fashion, to an estimated total of 10,000 as a result of the voluntary repatriation of some 20,000 refugees who had entered the country from Equatorial Guinea. Total obligations in the United Republic amounted to $268,870 in 1979 under General Programmes, of which over one half was made available to provide educational assistance at the lower secondary level to 60 Namibian refugee students affiliated to SWAPO, and to $4,311 under Special Programmes. Savings made under the programmes prepared for the local integration in this country and in Gabon of refugees from Equatorial Guinea were reallocated towards repatriation costs. At the end of the reporting period the Government of the United Republic of Cameroon requested urgent assistance in the face of the arrival of an estimated 100,000 refugees from Chad. In April 1980 an allocation of $500,000 was made from the Emergency Fund.

166. In Senegal, where the estimated caseload remained at 5,000 in 1979, UNHCR continued to channel various forms of assistance through the National Committee for Aid to Refugees. Efforts included the search for employment and the provision of educational aid for young students. In various other countries in central and west Africa, refugees of concern to UNHCR continued to receive assistance administered by UNDP resident representatives.

167. In 1979 over $1,300,000 were obligated for educational assistance to refugees mainly southern Africans, in countries of west Africa, principally Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.

168. The number of refugees in Burundi and Rwanda remained virtually unchanged in 1979, at 50,000 and 7,800 persons respectively. In Burundi. programmes established in previous years were pursued in both urban and rural sectors, and included counselling, training, educational assistance, repatriation and resettlement assistance, and rural settlements. In Rwanda multipurpose assistance, mainly in the form of supplementary aid, was provided to 563 individuals, and some 240 refugees were assisted at the secondary and higher levels of education. In addition, an amount of $60,000 was made available from trust funds for emergency assistance, including food.,, shelter and medical care, to persons uprooted by the events surrounding the change of government in Uganda. A donation in kind received for the same purpose was valued at $15,800. Obligations for the two countries in 1979 under the General and Special Programmes amounted to some $245,550 in Burundi and some $275,350 in Rwanda.

169. In Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia assistance provided by UNHCR continued to be mainly individual measures for aged refugees and refugee students. whose number remained at approximately 3,000. In addition, UNHCR continued to co-ordinate humanitarian assistance for the Sahrawis in the Tindouf area of Algeria, estimated by the Government of Algeria at approximately 50,000 persons.

170. Various other types of assistance, ranging from multi-purpose assistance to amounts made available for supplementary aid, repatriation and resettlement, were provided to refugees in 19 countries in Africa.

171. In Spring 1979, the Government of the Central African Republic requested UNHCR assistance in connexion with the arrival of some 1,000 refugees from Chad. By the end of the year $83,000 had been obligated from the Emergency Fund in response to this request.

172. A total amount of $4,667,200 was obligated in other countries of Africa in 1979 under both General and Special Programmes, including $689,400 in Nigeria, $441,600 in Senegal, $195,600 in Ghana, and $160,000 in Gabon.

CHARTER III ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN THE AMERICAS

A. Latin America

1. Introduction

173. During the first part of 1979 most of UNHCR assistance in the Latin American region was undertaken in favour of some 100,000 Nicaraguan refugees. This caseload decreased significantly with the voluntary repatriation of the great majority of them in the latter part of the year. The remaining caseload of refugees in the region comprised some $15,000 refugees of Latin American origin and 65,000 elderly refugees of European origin whose numbers, due to deaths and naturalization, continue to diminish.

174. UNHCR continued to maintain its representation in the area through three regional offices, in northern Latin America (Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama), north-western South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela) and southern Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay).

175. Despite the reduction in the overall caseload, new refugees did appear during the reporting period. In response to host Government requests UNHCR provided emergency material assistance followed by programmes designed to facilitate future local integration or resettlement. Most transportation in connexion with resettlement was, as in previous years, coordinated with the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM).

176. Several countries of the region offered only temporary asylum to refugees. In these cases, UNHCR acted to meet immediate needs and to assist refugees in taking advantage of resettlement opportunities as rapidly as possible. When local integration was possible, and pending resettlement, a range of legal, educational and social services was provided. Family reunification programmes were continued, and Indo-Chinese refugees were also resettled in two countries of the region.

177. In certain cases, long-term local integration measures continued to be necessary. The beneficiaries of this aid were mainly the refugees of European origin, spread throughout the region who, due to difficult economic conditions compounded by age and ill health, required UNHCR's assistance.

2. Northern Latin America

178. During the reporting period, countries of the region offered asylum to some 15,000 refugees from other South American countries and Haiti. Pending durable solutions within the area these refugees received care and maintenance and benefited from various types of assistance channelled through voluntary agencies and, in some cases, through UNDP resident representatives.

179. By far the biggest caseload comprised Nicaraguans who had fled their country of origin following the events of September 1978. During the first half of 1979, the bulk of UNHCR assistance was directed toward meeting the immediate needs of about, 100,000 Nicaraguans, mainly in Costa Rica and Honduras. While the change of regime in Nicaragua in July 1979 enabled the repatriation of large numbers of these people, leaving some 17,000 mainly in Costa Rica, it also occasioned the departure from Nicaragua of other.

180. UNHCR provided material assistance to Nicaraguan refugees in response to requests from the Governments concerned. Part of an allocation of $1.9 million for multi-purpose assistance enabled UNHCR to meet the immediate needs of refugees during the first half of 1979, and to facilitate their repatriation during the second half. Contributions in response to an appeal launched by the High Commissioner for humanitarian assistance for Nicaragua enabled UNHCR to provide for the purchase of agricultural equipment and for the purchase, transportation and distribution of food and medical supplies for the returnees. This assistance was channelled through two governmental bodies, the Institute Nicaragüanse de Reforma Agraria and the Comisión de Ayuda Hospitalaria and was extended mainly to the northern agricultural provinces of Nicaragua.

3. North-western South America

(a) Peru

181. By the end of 1979, fewer than 20 Latin American refugees remained in Peru. These refugees were awaiting resettlement opportunities elsewhere, as Peru continues to maintain a policy of only accepting refugees in transit. As a result of the decreased number, the Comisión Ecuménica de Asistencia Social, an ad hoc organization which had been providing care and maintenance as well as training to this group of refugees, planned to wind up its activities in the course of 1980. The number of European refugees, most of them elderly, was estimated to be 850.

182. UNHCR continued to collaborate with local authorities in providing legal services, counselling, medical treatment to the handicapped refugees and language and vocational training pending resettlement-, ICEM assisted UNHCR in providing transportation for resettlement. In addition, UNHCR facilitated the voluntary repatriation of some 25 persons.

183. The decreasing caseload enabled further reduction of expenditures. A total of $US 233,800 was obligated under both General and Special Programmes, of which $65,787 were for supplementary aid.

(b) Other countries in north-western South America

184. The number of refugees of concern to UNHCR in other countries in north.-western South America remained at approximately 21,000, mainly in Venezuela and Colombia. Due to new arrivals from the Caribbean, the number of Latin American refugees increased to some 8,000, while those of .European origin decreased to about 13,000.

185. During the reporting period, asylum seekers in Ecuador were gradually recognized as Convention refugees and allowed to remain in the country. Care and maintenance continued to be provided to refugees in the area pending durable solutions, and to elderly refugees of European origin. During the year,17 Nicaraguans were repatriated from Venezuela with UNHCR assistance.

186. Total expenditures for these countries amount to some $162,300.

4. Southern Latin America

(a) Argentina

187. The refugee population in Argentina continued to decline during this reporting period. Approximately 21,000 refugees of European origin and 5,000 of Latin American origin remain, representing a total decrease of about 3,000.

188. Aided by UNHCR, 556 persons repatriated, mainly to Chile, and 971 resettled in third countries, bringing to 10,324 the total number of refugees resettled with UNHCR assistance since September 1973. Most of the caseload awaiting resettlement as a durable solution have therefore been resettled. Local integration solutions also continued to be sought. Care and maintenance, counselling, training and legal assistance continued to be provided to refugees whose situations awaited durable solutions.

189. During the period under review the Government of Argentina offered to make resettlement opportunities available to 1,000 Indo-Chinese refugee families. By the end of 1979, 216 families comprising 941 persons had arrived in Argentina. UNHCR assistance in an amount of $US 43,495 financed the travel and related costs of the Argentine selection missions to South-East Asia; a further allocation of $828,700 provided for, inter alia, transportation, food, shelter and education of the Indo-Chinese refugees in Argentina.

190. Global obligations increased slightly to about $3.8 million, including amounts of $2 million for supplementary aid, $281,082 for resettlement assistance, $270,628 for repatriation and $388,500 for local integration.

(b) Chile

191. As in previous years, UNHCR assistance in Chile was mainly directed towards reuniting Chilean nationals with refugee heads of family resettled abroad. In 1979, 197 cases of family reunion involving 471 persons were handled, leaving 208 cases (525 persons) pending.

192. The refugee population resident in Chile consists almost entirely of elderly refugees of European origin whose numbers further decreased to some 2,000 during the reporting period. These refugees, and others of Latin American origin, benefited from various forms of UNHCR assistance extended to them through such non-governmental organizations as the Fundación de Ayuda Social de las Iglesias Cristianas, the Instituto Católico Chileno de Migración, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Tolstoy Foundation.

193. Total obligations for 1979 were $US 273,900, of which $120,000 were for resettlement.

(c) Other countries in southern Latin America

194. Benefiting from resettlement opportunities in third countries, over 600 refugees in the other countries of southern Latin America were resettled during the reporting period. The remaining refugee population is composed of some, 28,500 persons of European origin and about 350 Latin American refugees. In addition, 65 Indo-Chinese rescued at sea by a Brazilian vessel were settled in that country with UNHCR assistance.

195. The Latin American refugees, generally admitted in transit only, received care and maintenance as well as vocational training, legal aid and counselling while durable solutions to their situations were sought. The refugees of European origin, mainly composed of elderly persons, benefited from a variety of local integration measures including establishment of housing assistance, rehabilitation, monthly allowances and institutional care.

196. Total obligations for this area in 1979 were $633,911, of which $98,355 were for transportation of resettled refugees.

B. North America

197. UNHCR's co-operation with the Government of the United States of America was strengthened during the reporting period by the opening of a Liaison Office in Washington, D.C., while the Regional Office in New York continued to ensure close working relations between UNHCR and United Nations Headquarters. The Regional Office also continued to monitor refugee situations in the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean.

198. In Canada, co-operation with Government authorities at the federal and provincial levels was enhanced through the active role taken by the UNHCR Branch Office in Ottawa. It is to be noted that in 1979 contributions to UNHCR programmes were received from two Canadian provincial governments. In addition, a Standing Conference of Canadian Organizations concerned with refugees was constituted, with the support of the Branch Office, to co-ordinate the activities of various Canadian voluntary agencies.

199. Both Canada and the United States continued to provide a large number of resettlement opportunities to refugees and displaced persons from South-East Asia. During 1979 the United States accepted 110,452 such refugees, of whom 72,015 were "boat people", while Canada admitted a total 24,729 of whom 19,655 were "boat people". Both countries also continued to accept refugees from Latin America who could not be resettled in that region.

200. Total UNHCR obligations in the two countries in 1979 amounted to $93,674 for the United States and $64,1811 for Canada.

CHAPTER IV ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN ASIA

A. General developments

201. The problem of refugees and displaced persons in Asia continued to be of major concern to the Office, with new and more acute situations developing, notably following the influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan, and as regards the position of Kampucheans outside their country of origin.

202. The influx of refugees from Afghanistan into Pakistan began during the spring of 1979. By the end of the year the Government of Pakistan had registered more than 400,000 and, by early April 1980, their numbers were in excess of 700,000. A large proportion of the refugees are women and children, with a sizeable number of sick and elderly persons in addition.

203. During the period under review Kampucheans continued to leave their homeland for neighbouring countries, mainly Thailand. The situation in South-East Asia affecting the fate of Kampucheans remained fluid and complex, and there were important links between the different humanitarian programmes helping them. The relevant country sections in this chapter provide information on assistance measures made available by UNHCR to Kampucheans who had sought refuge in other countries of the region.

204. Resettlement efforts in favour of Indo-Chinese refugees were intensified during the period under review. A separate chapter on resettlement has been included in this report, giving overall statistical and other details on measures undertaken by UNHCR in conjunction with the countries concerned, intergovernmental bodies and voluntary agencies. The introduction of a common computerized system for the collection, recording and processing of biographical data on refugees was initiated in five centres in South-East Asia. The need for this tool in the interest of a speedy and effective resettlement process has been apparent for some time. In addition, the system is to provide tracing facilities and to assist in the exchange of information and bio-data on individual cases with other organizations and agencies collaborating with UNHCR in resettlement.

205. The Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons in South-East Asia convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 to 21 July 1979 produced a number of tangible results that are reflected in the relevant country sections, especially in respect of added resettlement opportunities, increased pledges of financial support and practical offers for the establishment of refugee processing centres in the region. Several meetings were convened in Geneva, with governmental and non-governmental participation, as a sequel to this important conference. The purpose of these was to establish the basis for the rapid implementation of additional offers for resettlement, to study practical measures for the rescue of asylum seekers in distress at sea and to set up a standard co-ordination mechanism for the organization of assistance from various sources, while avoiding duplication of effort.

206. The end of 1979 signalled the final stages of a major operation to facilitate voluntary repatriation for the large number of persons who had entered Bangladesh in 1978 from the Arakan state of Burma.

207. Total obligations in Asia during 1979 were about $162.6 million, of which about $98.8 million were under General Programmes and $63.8 million under Special Programmes.

B. Main developments in various countries or areas

1. Bangladesh

208. At the end of 1978 more than 36,000 persons had repatriated from the caseload of about 200,000 persons who had crossed the border from Burma to Bangladesh between March and July 1978. The repatriation rate increased rapidly during the first months of 1979. The last returnee crossed the border into Burma on 29 December 1979.

209. To facilitate this repatriation operation, the High Commissioner launched an appeal on 30 January 1979 for an amount of $5.5 million, of which the food component represented $3 million, to cover the cost for care and maintenance in Bangladesh and the repatriation itself. The main portion of the food component was supplied by WFP.

210. Some 10,000 tonnes of varied food packages were distributed to a steadily diminishing refugee population. Prescribed rations and some 10.5 million hot meals were served by the Bangladesh Red Cross Society for the supplementary feeding of vulnerable groups. With the added assistance of a voluntary agency team (Médecins sans frontiéres), the problem of malnutrition which had occurred the preceding year was brought under control during the early months of 1979.

211. Thirteen camps were established along the eastern part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts district on the Burmese border. These facilities were progressively dismantled in keeping with the reduction in the number of refugees due to repatriation. During the second half of 1979 only one camp was maintained.

212. Several voluntary agencies provided various measures of assistance including sizeable quantities of clothing for children and adults. The Government of Switzerland provided several teams of volunteers to help with the repatriation programme.

213. UNHCR provided for the hiring of buses, trucks and boats for the movement of refugees to Burma. Assistance also included the provision of funds for the employment of local non-governmental personnel and the establishment of office facilities. The refugees were provided with food for the journey back to their homes, as well as clothing items out of the stocks held by the Government.

214. The total expenditures made by UNHCR in respect of this repatriation programme by the end of 1979 amounted to $2,567,o83. This figure does not include contributions in cash and kind made on a bilateral basis by various Governments and other agencies.

215. Also in 1979, at the request of the Governments of Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNHCR made available an amount of $4,03,285 to cover the costs of the airlift of 2,871 non-Bihari persons from Bangladesh to Pakistan. In addition, some 6,377 persons were transported by sea, on vessels provided by the two Governments.

2. Burma

216. The repatriation operation from Bangladesh to Burma was completed successfully by the end of 1979 (see section on Bangladesh above). The majority of the returnees are in three north-western frontier areas of the Arakan state. B