United Nations
Report of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees
General Assembly
Official Records: Twenty-second Session
Supplement No.11 (A/6711)
United Nations, New York, 1967

INTRODUCTION

1. The present report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) covers the period from 1 April 1966 to 31 March 1967. Certain statistical and financial data are however available only for the calendar year 1966.

2. In spite of certain influxes of new refugees, particularly in Africa, it has proved possible, through continued co-operation with Governments and other organizations concerned and by strengthening UNHCR field offices in areas where new refugees are settling, to make further progress in the local integration of refugees. A gradual shift will thus be observed from the emergency relief phase to the settlement phase and then to the consolidation phase. Concerted action with other members of the united Nations system is beginning to yield results; their support has been invaluable and the High Commissioner looks forward to further co-operation with them as an essential element in the work of international assistance to refugees in the present-day world.

3. In accordance with the provisions of the Statute of his Office, the High Commissioner endeavours to ensure that refugees are able to exercise a free choice between voluntary repatriation, resettlement through migration in another country or local integration. Voluntary repatriation is recognized as a solution to the problems of refugees by the Governments of countries of asylum in Africa, and during the past year this solution has been chosen by a number of refugees in certain parts of Africa. Local integration however continued to be the main solution for refugees who are the High Commissioner’s concern. In several European countries resettlement through migration is playing an important role.

4. In the field of legal protection there is also cause for satisfaction : the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees has been transmitted by the Secretary-general to States with a view to their acceding to it, and indications have already been received that several States intend to do so. The Protocol will come into effect at once.

5. Serious difficulties still prevail with regard to the financing of UNHCR programmes. The High Commissioner is hopeful that pursuant to the terms of General Assembly resolution 2197 (XXI) of 16 December 1966, States Members of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies will find it possible to increase their financial participation in the work of UNHCR and will give a favourable response to the appeal he addressed to them in May 1967.

6. The encouraging results of the fund-raising campaign organized by voluntary agencies in 1966 in European countries and in a few overseas countries, mainly for the benefit of African and Asian refugees, show the awareness of the plight of refugees on the part of millions of individual persons. The High Commissioner hopes that Governments will make a similar effort so that the target of the High Commissioner’s current programme, which is intended to meet the basic needs of the refugees, will be fully met through governmental contributions.

7. The role of UNHCR, as an intermediary of goodwill, has been further developed as a result of the purely humanitarian character of his work. Through the combined effect of international protection and material assistance and with the participation of other members of the international community, the High Commissioner hopes that further progress will be made with a view to meeting his main objective ; to achieve permanent solutions to the problems of refugees.

Chapter I INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN FAVOUR OF REFUGEES

A. General observations

8. For many years, the work of assistance to refugees has depended to a large extent on close co-operation between Governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and on the support and goodwill of individuals who take an interest in humanitarian aid. Through their concerted efforts, a true spirit of international solidarity is being developed which has made it possible to meet refugee emergencies in record time. During the period under review, the interest of Governments, international organizations and the public in the countries themselves has again made it possible to assist a considerable number of refugees. However, there still remain many problems to be solved, and the High Commissioner hopes that the effective progress achieved in the field of international co-operation will continue unabated, and, in particular, that an ever-increasing number of Governments will share the grave responsibility assumed by the international community in bringing help to the refugees.

B. Co-operation with Governments and local authorities

9. The period covered by this report has again been marked by increasing contacts between the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees and the Governments and local authorities of countries in which refugees reside. As the High Commissioner previously mentioned, he attaches the greatest importance to the support which Governments are able and willing to give to the work of assistance to refugees. For indeed, both the legal status of refugees and their material wellbeing greatly depend on the interest which the governmental and local authorities take in their future.

10. The concern of many Governments for refugees was strikingly reflected in the course of the celebration of United Nations Day, 1966, which, it will be recalled, was dedicated to this cause, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2038 (XX). The celebrations which were held in practically all member States of the United Nations enjoyed the participation of Heads of States, Members of the Governments and senior government officials, many of whom took that opportunity to stress one or more aspects of the problems of refugees and to draw the general attention to their plight, to the work that is being done by UNHCR for them and to the need to support this work.

11. During the period under review, the High Commissioner paid further visits to the Governments of more than twenty countries to discuss the problems of refugees with the authorities concerned. He was thus enabled to obtain first-hand information on the situation of refugees in countries of asylum and residence, and to present to members of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme eyewitness accounts which were of value to them in reaching their decisions.

12. Close contact with Governments and local authorities continues to be maintained by the representatives of the High Commissioner and the branch offices. Every effort has been made to strengthen this representation in areas where the scope of the problem has increased, that is to say particularly in Africa. Since last reporting to the General Assembly, the High Commissioner has opened branch offices in the Central African Republic and in Zambia, and his representative in Senegal has been accredited also to Gambia.

13. The expansion of the work in Africa has also made it necessary for the High Commissioner to open a regional liaison office at Addis Ababa.

C. Co-operation with members of the United Nations system and other inter-governmental organizations

14. During the period under review a considerable step forward has been taken in the field of co-operation with other members of the United Nations system. The results of this co-operation have been particularly significant in the implementation of UNHCR programmes for the settlement of refugees in agriculture in Africa and in the field of educational assistance to refugees.

15. The need for concerted action by UNHCR and other members of the United Nations system in helping refugees to settle in rural communities in developing areas had already been recognized for some time. At its sixteenth session, in October 1966, the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme paid special attention to this question and adopted a decision in which, inter alia, it expressed the wish that provision for settlement of refugees be as far as possible included in projects of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), invited members of the specialized agencies to take note of the particular needs of refugees in developing countries and invited Governments which contribute to development assistance programmes to take the needs of refugees into account. At the same session the Executive Committee also agreed that the High Commissioner should open an education account which would enable him to receive voluntary contributions for educational assistance to refugees. Closer co-operation has been developed with UNESCO in this field and a memorandum of understanding between UNHCR and UNESCO on the implementation of practical measures has already been agreed in principle.

16. The General Assembly itself recognized the importance of inter-agency co-operation for the work of UNHCR when, in its resolution 2197 (XXI), it requested the High Commissioner to continue to promote solutions to the problems of refugees.

17. Since then the High Commissioner and the Administrator of UNDP have had an exchange of views in which it was recognized that projects for the settlement of refugees in Africa were in many respects closely linked to the multilateral aid of UNDP in the field of development, and it was understood that support would be lent by UNDP to UNHCR wherever possible, in respect of projects which affect refugees and the local population alike, and the implementation of which is requested by the Government of the country concerned. The Office of the High Commissioner was represented at the fourth session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme held in Geneva from 5 to 27 June 1967.

18. Arrangements for close co-ordination between UNHCR on the one hand, and representatives of the UNDP and of other members of the United Nations system on the other hand, have been worked out in more detail and are being currently applied. As explained more fully in chapter III, section B below which concerns assistance to African refugees, a comprehensive project for the consolidation of the settlement of Rwandese refugees is being put into effect in Burundi, through a concerted effort of the Burundi Government, UNHCR, UNDP, ILO, FAO, and the World Food Programme. Joint planning between UNHCR and representatives of other members of the United Nations system is also taking place in the Central African Republic, in connexion with the settlement of a considerable number of refugees in that country. The close co-operation between UNHCR and the World Food Programme is being continued, particularly for the benefit of refugees who have recently arrived and for whom the programme has made available food in an amount of over $1.5 million.

19. In a more general way, the High Commissioner has been able to place the problems of his Office before the boards of several specialized agencies which are closely connected with his work. The Office has also recently been represented at a meeting of the Economic Commission for Africa whose co-operation will be very useful, especially in connexion with the settlement of refugees in Africa.

20. The Office has continued to participate in the work of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination and its Preparatory Committee, as well as other inter-agency meetings which are relevant to the work of UNHCR. It has taken an active part in the preparation of the report of the Secretary-General on the utilization of human resources, which places the problems of refugees in a broader perspective, in the sense that refugees should be considered not only as people in need of humanitarian charitable aid but also as a positive factor in economic and social development. The High Commissioner hopes that this recommendation will meet with a favourable response on the part of member Governments.

21. The High Commissioner wishes to bring to the attention of the Economic and Social Council and of the General Assembly, for whatever action they may wish to take, the recommendation of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme that UNHCR be invited to attend the meetings of the Inter-Agency Consultative board of the United Nations Development Programme (see appendix II, paragraph 138).

22. The Office has pursued its close co-operation with other inter-governmental organizations which, by virtue of their geographical location or their particular field of interest, are in a position to support the work of UNHCR.

23. As indicated in more detail in chapter II below, close contact has been maintained between UNHCR and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and some of its committees, especially on the legal status of refugees in Africa. Consultations have taken place, in particular on the form which might be given to the Draft African Refugee Convention, prepared by the Committee of Legal Experts of the Refugee Commission of OAU. At the meeting of OAU which was held in November 1966, a resolution was adopted expressing the wish that that Convention should become a regional complement to the 1951 Convention of the United Nations. Contacts were similarly maintained with the Asian-African legal Committee which concerns itself, inter alia, with the rights of refugees. Co-operation with the Organization of American States (OAS) has also been pursued, mainly in connexion with certain problems relating to human rights.

24. In Europe, close relations have been maintained with the Council of Europe. Following an address made by the High Commissioner to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe at its session held in October 1966, the Assembly adopted a resolution in which it pledged continued support to the work of UNHCR in respect of both European refugees and new groups of refugees. The Assembly continued to show interest in the final integration of European refugees in countries members of the Council of Europe. The Office has co-operated as usual with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Commission of the European Economic Community and the International Committee on Civil Status, both of which are in a position to contribute to the improvement of the status of refugees.

D. Relations with voluntary agencies and other non-governmental organizations working for refugees

25. The role of the voluntary agencies and other non-governmental organizations working for refugees, which has always been very important, is becoming even more significant as responsibility for assistance to European refugees devolves more and more upon them, as well as on Governments. At the same time, an increasing number of voluntary agencies are turning to Africa and Asia, and are now increasingly directing their efforts towards the work of assistance for refugees on these continents.

26. Among them are several agencies which act as the operational arm of UNHCR, thereby discharging a very heavy responsibility. Others are contributing financially to the UNHCR programmes, and through their donations in cash or in kind, they often help the Office to meet unforeseen emergencies, and thus alleviate human suffering by their prompt intervention. One aspect of the work of the voluntary agencies which deserves notice is the continuing provision of counselling services to refugees. The advice and assistance of agency counsellors, by enabling refugees to take advantage of all available social welfare benefits, may often result in the establishment of the refugees without further recourse to assistance projects.

27. A special mention should be made of the individual staff members of voluntary agencies and also of missionaries who often share the day to day life of the refugees in remote areas. Through this contact the agencies are in a particularly good position to assess the needs of refugees and their reports are therefore of great value to the Office in enabling it to assess the results achieved and the needs to be met. The agencies also often constitute a link between the international community and their constituents, the men and women who support the agencies and, through them, become aware of the plight of the refugees.

28. This has become particularly evident in the course of the European Refugee Campaign, 1966. It will be recalled that His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands accepted the chairmanship of the Working Group of Voluntary Agencies which organized the campaign. These agencies each brought to the campaign the interest and goodwill of many other organizations and of their constituents. This campaign, the details of which may be found in chapter IV below, is a striking symbol of the part which voluntary agencies can play in the work of international assistance, and in particular in the humanitarian field.

29. Finally, mention should be made of the increasingly important part which is being played by the International Council of Voluntary Agencies, which groups as its members agencies working for refugees, migration and development, co-ordinates their activities and constitutes an invaluable link between them and the international community.

Chapter II INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION

A. General observations

30. The General Assembly, in resolution 2197 (XXI) on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, requested the High Commissioner «to continue to provide international protection to refugees who are his concern, within the limits of his competence and to promote permanent solutions to their problems». The High Commissioner has pursued his basic task of international protection, the scope of which further increased during the period under review as he was called upon to assume further responsibilities, particularly in certain areas in Africa.

31. This report can only highlight the main activities and general developments in the intricate field of international protection. This continuing task which is of both a legal and humanitarian character is as diverse and complex as are the problems of the refugees themselves.

32. During the period under review the most important event in the field of international protection has been the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 2198 (XXI) on the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. In accordance with the terms of this resolution the text of the Protocol has been transmitted by the Secretary-General to States with a view to enabling them to accede to it. The Protocol extends the scope ratione personae of the 1951 Convention by removing the dateline of 1 January 1951 contained in the definition of the term « refugee » in article 1.A2, of the Convention. The Protocol gives the Convention a more universal character and in particular makes it applicable to new groups of refugees. Furthermore it brings the personal scope of the Convention into line with that of the Statute of the Office.

33. In accordance with the Statute the High Commissioner will promote accessions to the Protocol. He has recently learned with appreciation that several States have expressed their intention to accede to the Protocol. He very much hopes that many States will become parties to this important legal instrument.

34. As the number of refugees in Africa increased, the Office had to concentrate greater efforts on protection problems concerning them. A specific feature of the period under review was the increasing number of individual cases of African refugees which raised problems of international protection, in particular with regard to asylum, residence, work permits and the issuance of travel documents. Whenever requested, the Office seeks to advise Governments on measures to cope with legal problems arising from the presence of refugees in their territories. Whenever difficulties arose for the refugees, UNHCR, through its representatives and by visits from Headquarters, discussed these problems with the authorities concerned, with a view to their solution.

35. Governments of countries in Africa have taken an increasing interest in the legal situation of refugees on that continent. They have discussed the problems of refugees at important meetings. Decisions adopted at these meetings emphasize the importance of avoiding the risk of refugee problems becoming a cause of friction between the Governments concerned. In these decisions the principles of voluntary repatriation and non-refoulement were also recognized.

36. The Office has continued to enjoy the support of the Organization of African Unity in its endeavours in the field of the protection of refugees. Co-operation with other regional organizations has continued with a view to the adoption of measures for the improvement of the status of refugees and the drawing up of instruments in favour of refugees. Mention should be made in this connexion of the continuing support of the Council of Europe and of the adoption of certain principles concerning the rights of refugees and their treatment by the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee.

37. Generally speaking there is increasing recognition of the special status of refugees and of the significance of the right of asylum for them. This recognition has been reflected during the period under review by further accessions to international instruments of special interest to refugees, the preparation of such instruments for their protection and, on the municipal plane, by the entry into force of legislation containing special provision for refugees in a number of countries and the initiation of such legislation in other countries.

38. The continuation of legal assistance activities under the UNHCR annual programme, which as made it possible to finance legal advice and aid to refugees with limited means, constitutes an important complement to the protection activities of the office. While assisting individual refugees to solve their legal problems, it furthers the integration or resettlement of refugees and thus helps individual refugees to find permanent solutions.

39. In the field of indemnification of refugees, the conclusion of a new Agreement between UNHCR and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany was a most important event. This Agreement fills a gap in the existing arrangements for the indemnification of refugee victims of national socialist persecution by enabling the High Commissioner to provide measures of assistance to persons who have suffered persecution by reason of their nationality and who have been unable to benefit from existing legislation and agreements in this field.

B. Inter-governmental legal instruments

40. One of the main bases for the international protection of refugees is the international instruments which have been concluded for their particular benefit, the most important of which is the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, as well as those which include clauses relating to refugees or are otherwise of benefit to them. UNHCR has continued to encourage accession by additional States to these instruments.

1951 CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES

41. During the period under review, the number of parties to this Convention increased to fifty-one;[1] in May 1966, the Government of Kenya deposited its instrument of accession with the Secretary-General and in September 1966 the Government of Gambia made a declaration to the Secretary-General that it considered itself bound by the Convention, the application of which had been extended to its territory prior to independence. Both States accepted the alternative « events occurring before 1 January 1951 in Europe and elsewhere » in article 1 B of the Convention.

42. In December 1966 the Government of the Ivory Coast made a declaration extending its obligations under the Convention by adopting the formula «events occurring before 1 January 1951 in Europe and elsewhere».

43. Accession to the Convention is under active consideration in several other States. In particular in the White Paper on Immigration published by the Government of Canada in autumn 1966, that Government has indicated its intention to accede to the Convention. It has further indicated that it may be desirable to establish a refugee eligibility commission which would work closely with UNHCR.

WITHDRAWAL OF RESERVATIONS

44. In November 1966 the Government of Sweden notified the Secretary-General that it had withdrawn its reservation to article 24, paragraph 2, of the Convention, concerning social security, and had modified, in favour of refugees, its reservations to paragraph 1 (b) of that same article. At the same time a similar withdrawal of reservations was made by the Government of Sweden with regard to the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

PROTOCOL RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES

45. On 31 January 1967, the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General signed an authentic copy of the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees which is designed to extend the personal scope of the 1951 Convention. On 10 March, the Secretary-General transmitted the text of the Protocol to Governments.

46. The draft text of the Protocol, which was based on a draft prepared by the Colloquium on Legal Aspects of Refugee Problems referred to in last year’s report and which took into account the comments made by Governments, was submitted to the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme at its sixteenth session in October-November 1966. The Executive Committee expressed the wish that the High Commissioner submit the draft Protocol, as modified in the light of the discussions in the Committee, to the General Assembly through the economic and Social Council as an addendum to the High Commissioner’s annual report to the General Assembly. The Council took note with approval of the addendum, which it transmitted to the Assembly.

47. In its resolution 2198 (XXI) of 16 December 1966 the General Assembly took note of the protocol and requested the Secretary-General to transmit the text thereof to States parties to the Convention, Members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies with a view to enabling them to accede. The Protocol requires accession by six States in order to enter into force.

AGREEMENT RELATING TO REFUGEE SEAMEN

48. In October 1966 Italy acceded to the above Agreement, which is now in force between fifteen States.[2] In its recently published White Paper, the Government of Canada expressed its intention to accede to this instrument. In co-operation with the Government of the Netherlands, the Office has continued to provide a counselling service for refugee seamen in the port of Rotterdam. Approximately 420 refugee seamen were interviewed during 1966 and where necessary they were advised on the regularization of their position under the above agreement and on the means of obtaining suitable travel documents.

EUROPEAN AGREEMENT ON THE ABOLITION OF VISAS FOR REFUGEES

49. In December 1966 the Government of Switzerland deposited with the Council of Europe its instrument of accession to the above Agreement and thus became the eleventh [3] State to accede to this Agreement which provides for visa-free travel, for periods not exceeding three months and for purposes other than taking up employment, for refugees holding travel documents issued in accordance with the 1951 Convention or the London Agreement of 15 October 1946.

OTHER LEGAL INSTRUMENTS OF RELEVANCE TO REFUGEES

50. Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless persons, bringing the number of parties to eighteen. Spain and Belgium acceded to the Convention on the Recovery of Maintenance, to which the number of parties is now twenty-nine. Italy, which was already a party to the Universal Copyright Convention, has now acceded to Protocol No.1 to this Convention, which extends its benefits to refugees and stateless persons.

C. Asylum

51. As explained in earlier reports the question of asylum is the basis of all work in favour of refugees. During the year under review, States in many parts of the world have granted asylum to a considerable number of new refugees, and it can be stated that the principle of non-refoulement is recognized on a world-wide bases. It is the continuing basic task of the Office to make sure that no bona fide refugee is returned to, or refused admission from, a country in which he fears persecution. The Office has continued to follow closely international action on the legal aspects of the right of asylum, on which the following developments can be reported:

INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ACTION

52. The General Assembly has had before it, since its seventeenth session, the question of a declaration on the right of asylum. Having been considered at an earlier stage by the Third Committee, the matter was transferred in 1965 to the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly, which discussed it in November and December 1966. The Sixth Committee set up a working group, which elaborated a draft Declaration on Territorial Asylum based on the draft adopted by the Commission on Human Rights, and on the preamble and article 1 adopted by the Third committee. In resolution 2203 (XXI) of 16 December 1966, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to transmit the text of this draft Declaration and the report of the working group to Member States for their further consideration and to place the question on the provisional agenda of the twenty-second session of the General Assembly with a view to the final adoption of a declaration.

53. In December 1966, the question of the right of asylum was considered by the Committee of Experts on Human Rights of the Council of Europe, at which UNHCR was represented by an observer. The report of the Committee of Experts will be examined by the Committee of Ministers of the Council in 1967.

54. The Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee at its eighth session drew up a number of principles for the treatment of refugees, including an article on asylum, which incorporates the principles of non-refoulement and temporary asylum.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ACTION

55. A representative of the Office attended a meeting of the International Collegium Fridtjof Nansen held at Vienna in June-July which dealt with problems facing countries of first asylum and with procedures for the granting of asylum.

56. A representative of the Office also attended, as United Nations and UNHCR observer, a Conference of the International Law Association held at Helsinki in August 1966, at which the item « Legal aspects of the problem of asylum » was among the matters discussed.

MEASURES TAKEN IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

57. Pursuant to the recommendation of the meeting of Commonwealth Law Ministers held in London in April-May 1966 concerning the amendment of the Fugitive Offenders Act 1881, the Australian Parliament passed the «Extradition (Commonwealth Countries) Act 1966». This Act precludes surrender, within the Commonwealth, inter alia, in cases where the person concerned may be prejudiced at his trial or punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty by reason of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions. The Fugitive Offenders Bill, containing similar provisions, was presented to the United Kingdom Parliament. The Extradition (foreign States) Act adopted in Australia at the same time as the Extradition (Commonwealth Countries) Act contains similar provisions regarding extradition to States outside the Commonwealth.

58. UNHCR submitted a memorandum and gave oral evidence before the United Kingdom Committee on Rights of Appeal and Other Remedies for Aliens and Commonwealth Citizens Refused Admission to or Required to Leave the Country. These provided, inter alia, detailed information concerning the application of the principle of non-refoulement and the procedure adopted in various countries for determining refugee status under the 1951 Convention.

59. Mention should be made of the reports which were received in respect of an agreement between the Portuguese authorities in Macao and the authorities of the Kwantung Province of China concerning the return of persons seeking to enter Macao from China. The High Commissioner has contacted the Portuguese authorities on this problem, and to the universally accepted principle of non-refoulement of refugees. The Office continues to follow closely developments in this matter.

D. Recognition of refugee status

60. The Office has continued to co-operate with Governments on problems connected with the recognition of refugee status and has co-operated in the determination of eligibility under the 1951 Convention under procedures which vary from country to country. Thus in some countries UNHCR is entrusted with the determination of refugee status. In others, the Office participates in eligibility procedures, or acts in an advisory capacity or as an observer.

61. In Senegal, the authorities are planning to establish a special body entrusted with the function of determining refugee status.

62. In certain other countries, particularly in those where UNHCR has only recently established branch offices, the representative is consulted informally by the national authorities on questions relating to the determination of refugee status.

E. National legislation for the benefit of refugees

63. As heretofore the Office has been in touch with the governmental authorities of many countries which have generously admitted refugees to their territory and has followed legal and administrative developments which have a bearing on the position of refugees. A number of measures taken for the improvement of the position of refugees are reported below.

64. In Australia, legislation has been proposed whereby old age, invalid and widows’ pensions will be available to all migrants under the same conditions now applying to Australian nationals. Hitherto, such benefits were not granted to non-Australians as a statutory right, but as a matter of discretion. Migrants settling permanently in Australia are already entitled in the same way as Australian nationals to child endowment, unemployment, sickness, funeral and rehabilitation benefits and to maternity allowances.

65. The Austrian Government is preparing, for submission to Parliament, a draft federal law concerning the right of residence in Austria of persons who apply for recognition as refugees under the terms of the 1951 Convention.

66. The Belgian authorities have adopted measures whereby refugees may now themselves apply for model « A » work permits. In the past such applications has to be made by prospective employers. Model « A » work permits are granted to refugees who have been resident in Belgium for three years; they entitle the holder to take up any type of employment with any employer and are of unlimited duration. This measure overcomes the difficulties which have hitherto existed for refugee workers due to the fact that their employers had to obtain a permit in order to engage them.

67. The Belgian Ministry of Education has prepared a draft law exempting refugees from certain requirements in respect of the recognition of academic degrees and diplomas. According to this draft law, refugees who have obtained university diplomas abroad may secure their recognition in Belgium, on the conditions laid down in Belgian legislation without fulfilling the requirements of reciprocity. Moreover, refugees who have obtained diplomas at a Belgian university may, upon complying with the specified procedure, obtain recognition of such diplomas, which would enable them to exercise their particular professions without possessing Belgian nationality.

68. In December 1966, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a decree revoking two decrees promulgated in 1964 and which provided for the expulsion of various categories of aliens, including refugees, and the sequestration of their property. While these decrees were not applied systematically, the joint ILO/UNHCR integration and zonal development project for Rwandese refugees could not be fully implemented until the decrees had been rescinded.

69. In the Netherlands a new Aliens Law came into force on 1 January 1967. The Law, and an implementing Royal Decree dated 19 September 1966, as well as a ministerial instruction dated 22 September 1966, contain special provisions regarding the admission of refugees, the granting of asylum, and the recognition of refugee status.

70. The British Government has agreed to waive visa fees for persons who hold refugee travel documents issued by any State member of the Council of Europe, and who apply for a visitor’s visa in a country which is a member of the Council of Europe.

71. In accordance with Public Law 89-732 of 2 November 1966, the status of Cubans admitted or paroled into the United States after 1 January 1959 may be adjusted to that of « permanent residents ». In order to qualify they must have been present in the United States for at least two years, must be eligible to receive an immigrant visa and be eligible for admission to the United States for permanent residence.

F. Improvement of the rights of refugees within the framework of regional legal instruments

ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY-DRAFT CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES IN AFRICA

72. In September 1966 a meeting of a Committee of Legal Experts of the Refugee Commission of OAU took place at Addis Ababa, at which the draft African Refugee Convention was considered and amended. UNHCR was represented by an observer. The draft, as amended by the legal experts, contains the three paramount humanitarian principles:

(a) That the granting of asylum to refugees is a peaceful and humanitarian act and shall not be regarded as an unfriendly act by any Member State;

(b) That no person shall be subjected by a Member State to measures such as rejection at the frontier, return or expulsion, which would compel him to return to or remain in a territory where his life, physical integrity or liberty would be threatened for the reasons set out in the definition of a refugee;

(c) That no refugee shall be repatriated against his will.

73. The summit meeting of the OAU which was held at Addis Ababa from 31 October to 6 November 1966, studied the report of the OAU secretariat on the problems of refugees in Africa and in particular the text of the draft Refugee Convention prepared by the Committee of Legal Experts. The meeting adopted a resolution taking note with satisfaction of the humanitarian principles laid down in the draft Convention and confirming the decision of the previous summit meeting at the Accra Conference in October 1965, by which Member States who have not yet done so are requested to accede to the United Nations 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. The resolution expresses the wish that the African instrument should deal with specific aspects of the refugee problems in Africa and that it should become an effective regional complement to the 1951 Convention. Member States were asked to re-examine the draft and to provide the OAU secretariat with their comments. The resolution also expresses appreciation for the efforts of UNHCR to make the Convention of 1951 universally applicable, particularly with regard to Africa.

ASIAN-AFRICAN LEGAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

74. At the eighth session of the above Committee, held at Bangkok from 8 to 17 August, UNHCR was represented by an observer. The Committee devoted the greater part of its sessions to the discussion of the item on its agenda concerning the rights of refugees and adopted certain principles concerning their treatment. It adopted a definition of the term « refugee » similar to that contained in the 1951 Convention, but without dateline or geographic limitation.

75. The Committee also adopted an article on asylum which incorporates the principles of non-refoulement and of temporary asylum. Other articles adopted deal with the minimum standard of treatment for refugees, and protection against measures of expulsion and deportation.

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON CIVIL STATUS (COMMISSION INTERNATIONALE DE L’ETAT CIVIL)

76. A representative of UNHCR attended a working group of this Committee held at Strasbourg in April 1966 and its annual meeting held at Athens in September 1966. The Committee decided to work out, in cooperation with UNHCR, an instrument dealing with the recognition of certificates issued by Member States in accordance with article 25 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

77. The Office has been in frequent contact with the Human Rights Commission of the Organization of American States. This Commission has been considering problems relating to Human Rights in the Americas, which in some cases relate directly to refugees.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE

78. At its session held in April 1967 the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a motion concerning the integration of refuges in countries members of the Council of Europe, through the facilitation of their naturalization.

G. Indemnification by the Federal Republic of Germany

SUPPLEMENTARY UNHCR INDEMNIFICATION FUND

79. The Agreement concluded between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Office of the High Commissioner on 5 October 1960 applied to persons who were persecuted under the national socialist regime by reason of their nationality and who were refugees within the meaning of the 1951 Convention on 1 October 1953, the dateline established under the indemnification legislation then in force in the Federal Republic. The Agreement provided, inter alia, for the establishment of a Fund to enable the High Commissioner to extend measures of assistance to this group of victims of persecution in so far as they were not entitled to indemnification under the German Indemnification Law.

80. As stated by the High Commissioner in his previous report to the General Assembly, a Final Indemnification Law was promulgated on 18 September 1965. This Law, inter alia, makes persons who did not qualify for indemnification on account of the abovementioned dateline of 1 October 1953 eligible for indemnification. The High Commissioner also reported on his discussions with the German authorities with regard to measures to provide assistance for persons persecuted by reason of their nationality and still not covered by the new legislation, similar to that provided under the Agreement of 1960 to such persons who were refugees on 1 October 1953. During the period under review these discussions were successfully concluded by an exchange of letters between the Federal Republic and the High Commissioner, in November 1966, by which the Federal Government undertook to make available to the High Commissioner an amount of DM3,500, 000 ($875,000) for measures of assistance to those persons who were excluded from the Agreement of 1960 by reason of the dateline requirement for refugee status. This amount is based on an estimated number of about 1,000 victims of persecution who might qualify for assistance. Pursuant to this Agreement, a supplementary indemnification fund has been established by UNHCR.

81. Implementation of this Agreement started on 1 December 1966. A tentative dateline has been set for the completion of the operation by 31 December 1968, which will however depend on the number of applications received by 30 September 1967, the closing date set for applications to the Supplementary UNHCR Indemnification Fund.

Article 1 of the Indemnification Agreement of 5 October 1960

82. With regard to the implementation of article 1 of the Indemnification Agreement of 1960, the competent German authorities had received as of 31 March 1967 35,741 applications, of which 7,329 had been settled at that date. The number of positive decisions taken was 1,264 and payments amounting to approximately DM58,000,000 had been made. In accordance with paragraph 3 of the Protocol to the Agreement, UNHCR has continued its consultations with the German authorities with a view to speeding up the processing of claims and to solving certain questions which have arisen concerning the qualification for indemnification of former forced labourers and alleged members of resistance groups.

83. On the occasion of the conclusion of the new Indemnification Agreement, the High Commissioner was assured that the establishment of the Supplementary Indemnification Fund would in no way affect the implementation of article 1 of the 1960 Agreement, in particular with regard to the question of indemnification of resistance fighters and forced labourers.

Chapter III MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES

A. General observations

84. As the major aid programmes for «old» European refugees are nearing their final conclusion, the current annual programme has become the core of the network for assistance to refugees in over fifty countries. Thus from 230,400 to 240,000 refugees benefited from assistance projects under the UNHCR current programmes or from projects financed by the Emergency Fund in 1966. Through the catalytic character of the current programme for 1966 whose financial target had first been set at $3.9 million, many more refugees also received some form of material assistance which helped them to achieve a solution to their problems. The current programme, together with the $500,000 UNHCR Emergency Fund has further made it possible for the Office rapidly to intervene in a number of new refugee situations in Africa and Asia so that human suffering was alleviated from the start.

85. One of the significant events during 1966 has been the completion of the camp clearance programme in Europe which put an end to one of the most preoccupying post-war social and humanitarian problems. Further progress was also made in the settlement of «old» refugees while the number of newly recognized European refugees was smaller than in previous years. However, serious problems emerged in respect of new groups of refugees, particularly in Africa where several countries had to cope with a new influx, while in some others a considerable number of refugees were moved to a new location further inland with a view to their settlement in agriculture, which called for further support from the international community. In order to enable the Office to deal with these new problems the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme at its sixteenth session agreed to raise the target of the 1966 programme from $3,9 million to $4,168,650.

86. In Africa, over 190,000 refugees out of a total of some 730,000 were in the process of settlement with UNHCR assistance at the end of 1966 and this figure went up to over 200,000 during the first few months of 1967.

87. A number of projects from previous years, mainly for local integration, through housing or settlement on the land, were continued and/or completed in the course of 1966. The amount of nearly $3,860,000 committed in 1966 under the current programme and from the Emergency Fund attracted supporting contributions in an amount of $6,573,000. These contributions which, it will be recalled, are provided as a counterpart to the financial support of the international community reached a higher level in 1966 than in the previous year in spite of the economic and financial difficulties facing some of the countries of asylum of refugees. The aforementioned amount does not include the food supplies made available by the Word Food Programme in an amount of more than $1.5 million nor does it include the value of land placed at the disposal of refugees in Africa, the value of administrative services provided by Governments and operational partners of UNHCR, or the considerable amount of bilateral assistance provided by some Governments. Special mention should be made of the special trust funds entrusted to, or channelled through. UNHCR for essential complementary projects outside the programme. As shown in more detail in annex IV, projects in an amount of over $610,000 were financed by such funds in 1966, including projects to a value of over $203,500 for assistance to refugees in the field of education.

88. As previously, three solutions were offered to the refugees-voluntary repatriation, resettlement through migration to another country or local integration. Every opportunity has been given to refugees to return to their homelands. Governments of countries of origin and Governments of countries of asylum have held meetings with a view to facilitating the voluntary repatriation of refugees and, as an alternative, their local settlement in appropriate areas inland. For its part UNHCR has again offered to assist in the financing of repatriation when this could not be arranged from other sources. From the approximate number of 27,000 refugees who returned to their country of origin during 1966, mostly in Africa, 1,250 were assisted to this end by UNHCR in an amount of $15,651 from the 1966 programme, as indicated in more detail in annex II to this report. There are still many thousands of refugees in Africa whose repatriation is expected to take place once normal conditions are restored in the area from which they came. Pending their return they have been given a hospitable welcome by countries of reception and, where necessary, also some assistance from international funds.

89. Once a refugee has chosen not to avail himself of the opportunities for voluntary repatriation which may have been offered to him, assistance through the UNHCR programme is provided, if necessary, upon the request of the Government of the asylum country.

90. Resettlement through migration has continued to be a valuable solution, particularly for refugees in Europe. A number of immigration countries have continued their generous admission policy and thus helped several thousands of refugees, including a number of physically handicapped, to start a new life.

91. As heretofore, local integration in countries of asylum and of permanent residence has proved to be a solution for the great majority of refugees. In spite of the new influx of refugees in some countries, considerable progress has been made in that field. In various countries of Europe a limited number of non-settled refugees and new arrivals were able to achieve integration either spontaneously or with limited support from international sources. Of the active caseload of some 190,000 refugees in the process of local integration with UNHCR assistance at the end of 1966, the majority were in Burundi (46,000) and Uganda (47,000). Approximately 134,000 were still dependent on food rations at the end of the year. Most of them, however, are already cultivating the land and, provided that the harvest is successful, there is a good possibility that a number of them will no longer need rations in the course of 1967. The position of those who have become self-supporting is also further improving. In many settlements the initial settlement phase is being followed by the production of cash crops, poultry farming and an increasing number of other activities which, combined with the improving infra-structure, helps the refugees to consolidate their establishment and to build up rural communities which also benefit the local population. Further steps in that direction are being taken through the increased co-operation which has developed between UNHCR and other members of the United Nations system, as reported in chapter I above. Among the main results of these co-operation mention should be made of the results achieved in conjunction with UNDP, ILO, and FAO in Burundi and with ILO in the Kivu Province of the Congo, details of which are reported in section B below.

92. Counselling has continued to form an important part of the programme, particularly for those refugees who have to opt for a particular type of solution, in keeping with their background or skill. As reported in more detail in section C below, responsibility for the counselling of refugees in a number of European countries is being gradually transferred to the local authorities and agencies. In Africa, the need for counselling is also beginning to make itself felt in a certain number of cities where a growing number of refugees need advice and assistance with a view to their settlement. A project for this purpose has actually been included in the 1967 programme to provide counselling services to refugees in Dakar.

93. Particular attention has been devoted to the question of educational assistance to refugees, especially in Africa. Assistance towards primary education under the UNHCR current programme has taken the form of aid to refugees for building on a self-help basis temporary schools, which were usually run by the voluntary agencies or by the refugees themselves. In the framework of projects for the consolidation of refugee settlements, further provision may be made to the extent possible for promoting primary schools of the average standard adopted in the host country, on the understanding that the Government concerned takes over such schools in due course. In view of the importance of this question for the integration of new groups of refugees and taking into account the limited facilities available in the countries of asylum, the Executive Committee authorized the High Commissioner to open a special education account, to which contributions have already been made. The purpose of the account is to enable the Office to receive voluntary contributions to finance primary education for refugees in so far as the necessary expenditure cannot be absorbed fully by the programme, to promote secondary education and, to some extent also, university education. On this matter, UNESCO has pledged its full co-operation with UNHCR. Over 3,760 refugees are already benefiting from assistance under the account, including 2,770 who are receiving primary education, 788 secondary education, 169 technical training and 40 who follow university courses, at a total cost of some $125,000. A further amount of some $80,000 has been made available for various forms of vocational assistance to refugees in Africa. The High Commission has also co-operated with United Nations Headquarters and UNESCO with regard to the educational programmes established for South West Africans and refugees from territories under Portuguese administration.

94. As heretofore legal assistance has been granted to a number of individual refugees which has facilitated their permanent settlement. An amount of $100,416 was committed for this form of assistance under the 1966 programme. It has benefited over 5,000 refugees.

95. In spite of the progress made, it is clear that further assistance will be needed in order to continue to assist Governments to deal with the refugee problems which they are facing. The Executive Committee has accordingly adopted a financial target in an amount of $4,584,130 for the 1967 current programme. The allocations included in this programme are listed in annex V Below, together with a number of new allocations which will be submitted to the Committee at its seventeenth session. The decisions taken by the Committee on these proposed allocations and on the corresponding change in the financial target of the 1967 programme will be found in the report on the seventeenth session of the Executive Committee, which is attached as an appendix to the present report.

B. Assistance to African refugees

BURUNDI

Rwandese refugees

96. The number of Rwandese refugees, which had been estimated at 52,000 at the beginning of 1966, reached 54,000 by the end of the year. This increase, which was due both to population development and to the arrival of a number of refugees who had been staying in neighbouring countries, was partly offset by the voluntary repatriation of some 700 refugees and the resettlement of another hundred or so who went to join relatives in Tanzania and Uganda. Of the 54,000 refugees concerned, 19,000 were living in the settlement areas of Kayongozi, Kiganba and Muramba and 27,300 were settling at Mugera. The remainder were scattered throughout the country.

97. As the High Commissioner pointed out in his report to the twenty-first session, the exceptional drought which occurred in the autumn of 1965 resulted in a bad harvest and emergency measures had to be taken to combat malnutrition at the Kayongozi, Kigamba and Muramba settlements at the beginning of 1966. Food valued at $130,000 was provided by the World Food Programme and gifts totalling over $15,500 enabled UNHCR to pay, inter alia, for the transport of the food.

98. The situation improved considerably in the course of 1966. The refugees became self-supporting and it was possible to discontinue the distribution of food by the World Food Programme. The UNHCR/ILO integration and zonal development project, which has been in operation in the three settlements since 1964, brought about considerable improvements in the infra-structure of the area. By the end of 1966, 500 hectares of marshland had been reclaimed under this project, including 350 hectares actually brought under cultivation during the 1966 dry season; agricultural output had increased considerably; and the buildings planned for the three settlements had been completed. Other items on which work was completed were the water supply conduits, the provision of a ferry service on the river Ruvubu and the installation of workshops.

99. By the end of 1966, the greater part of the sum of $317,000 allocated to the UNHCR/ILO project (including $160,000 under a former UNHCR programme) had been committed. In addition a number of projects launched in previous years were completed in 1966, including the construction of eight primary schools, two dispensaries and houses for the necessary teachers and medical staff. These schools were attended by 1,338 Rwandese refugee children and a number of Burundi children during the 1965-1966 school year. The schools and the dispensaries are now run by the Government of Burundi.

100. Considerable progress was also made at Mugera, where there are over 27,000 Rwandese refugees. As comparatively new arrivals, a great many of these refugees needed food aid, which was provided by the World Food Programme to the value of over $1,550,000 and part of which will be distributed in 1967. Through the combined efforts of the Government of Burundi, the Association internationale pour le développment rural outre-mer and UNHCR, the refugees were helped to settle on the land as formers and the infra-structure of the area was improved considerably.

101. The greater part of the $560,000 allocated to the Mugera project has been committed. Furthermore, a balance amounting to some $30,000 has been allocated to a new comprehensive project, which is included in the 1967 programme, to enable the Rwandese refugees living in the various settlements in Burundi to settle in more firmly. In addition, contributions from private sources have made it possible to introduce bee-keeping in the area and to set up a vocational training centre in the area and to set up a vocational training centre for apprentice carpenters and blacksmiths at Mugera.

102. Of some 8,000 Rwandese refugees living outside settlements, several hundred were provided with educational assistance financed out of a special contribution from the Swedish Government and the proceeds of a private fund-raising effort. In addition, some 475 needy refugees were granted supplementary aid-a distinctly smaller number, it should be noted, than in 1965.

103. It has been decided to continue work under the existing programmes in the four settlements on an integrated basis. To that end, an allocation of $200,000 has been included in the 1967 programme, to which should be added a balance of $130,000 from the previous projects.

Congolese refugees

104. In the course of 1966 some 27,000 new Congolese refugees entered Burundi and 15,000 returned home. A sum of about $1,400 was committed by UNHCR in the course of 1966 to finance the transportation of 459 among them.

105. As a result of these movements, the number of Congolese refugees rose from 13,000 to about 25,000 in the course of 1966.

106. There is reason to believe that many of the Congolese refugees will wish to return home as soon as the situation permits; therefore no settlement programme has been drawn up for them. In the meantime, some of them are receiving emergency relief from voluntary agencies and in particular from religious missions.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Sudanese refugees

107. With the arrival of 9,500 new refugees in the Banbouti and Ouanda-Djallé area, the number of Sudanese refugees in the Central African Republic rose from 17,500 at the beginning of 1966 to 27,000 at the end of the year. In the initial stage, the sum of $106,000 was made available from the UNHCR Emergency Fund towards the cost of a relief operation to enable the refugees to meet their immediate needs. The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief made a grand of $14,000 towards this project.

108. Under an agreement concluded between the Government of the Central African Republic, the League of Red Cross Societies and UNHCR in June 1966, the group of refugees at Banbouti were to be settled in an area extending as far as Obo, over 100 kilometres from the Sudanese frontier. A programme was accordingly drawn up which would at the same time raise the level of living of some 3,000 Central African Republic nationals resident in the area. The implementation of the project was delayed somewhat by technical difficulties, but the results obtained by the end of the year were encouraging: some 1,000 refugee families had been transferred to the new districts, and enough progress had been made in agriculture for the distribution of food to some 20,000 refugees to be discontinued, if only temporarily, after the first harvest. At the same time, special attention was paid to health problems, and by the end of the year five small bush dispensaries were in operation in the area.

109. An allocation of $300,000 was made for this project under the UNHCR current programme for 1966; of this, $115,000 had been spent by 31 December 1966.

110. After discussions in November 1966, between the Government of the Sudan and the Government of the Central African Republic, it was agreed that refugees who expressed the wish to return to their country would be given the opportunity to do so and that the remainder would be helped to settle in the Central African Republic far from the Sudanese border.

111. Towards the end of the year, the implementation of the project had to be slowed down because the Government of the Central African Republic was planning to move the refugees to Mboki, in the interior, some 280 kilometres from the Sudanese frontier. The Mboki area is well irrigated, the local population is of the same ethnic origin as the refugees, and the latter should therefore be able to settle down well there. An allocation of $700,000 has been made by the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme for the settlement of the Sudanese refugees in 1967.

Congolese refugees

112. The number of Congolese refugees in the Central African Republic, which was estimated at 3,000 at the beginning of 1966, was increased by 13,000 new arrivals to 16,000 by the end of the year. The League of Red Cross Societies helped the newcomers to meet their most pressing needs.

113. Voluntary repatriation would still seem to be the ideal solution for most of the Congolese refugees; the fact that they did not return home in 1966 is largely due to the situation prevailing in the area from which they come.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Angolan refugees

114. The number of Angolan refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was estimated at about 300,000 on 31 December 1966; this increase of some 30,000 since the beginning of the year was due to the arrival of new refugees, particularly in the Katanga and Lower Congo regions. The Angolan refugees belong to the same ethnic groups as the inhabitants of the areas where they have settled and consequently have no particular difficulty in integrating themselves into the local population. The hospitable attitude of the latter and the assistance provided by a number of voluntary bodies have enabled the refugees to continue to settle down to farming, as in the past; as a result, one year after leaving the reception centre most of these refugees are essentially self-supporting.

115. The High Commissioner has contributed $20,000 to the establishment by the Congolese Protestant Relief Agency of the Kimpese Agricultural and Vocational Training Centre, where a number of other skills are also taught. The UNHCR contribution supplements a donation of $13,565 from the Swedish Government for this project. The Centre went in to full operation in 1966.

116. No significant change is expected in the immediate future as regards the situation of the Angolan refugees in the Congo, most of whom are already more or less self-supporting. However, arrangements are still needed to provided them with some assistance in matters of education and health.

Rwandese refugees

117. The number of Rwandese refugees in the Congo, nearly all of whom were in the Province of Kivu, fell from 25,000 at the beginning of 1966 to 24,000 at the end of the year. The small influx of Rwandese refugees was more than offset by the departure of about 1,200 for Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda and by the voluntary repatriation of about 100 more.

118. The UNHCR/ILO integration and zonal development project was continued only on a provisional basis pending the repeal-which took place at the of 1966-of the expulsion and sequestration decrees of August 1964; nevertheless, the project has enabled an increasing proportion of the refugees to become self-supporting. Co-operative societies were established to facilitate the marketing of export products such as tea and the articles made in the settlements, of which furniture from Bibwe is an example. A Central Co-operative Society was set up in North Kivu, incorporating nine local agricultural and three refugee co-operative societies. Efforts were made at the same time to increase the acreage planted to food crops and tea, especially in South Kivu.

119. If economic conditions in the settlement continue to improve at their present rate, there is reason to hope that by the end of 1967 the dispensaries will be able to manage without external aid and the Bibwe social centre will cover its own expenses by selling articles of clothing made by women and girls working at the Centre.

120. Side by side with the implementation of the UNHCR/ILO project, which is to continue in 1967, assistance was given to some 150 refugee families in settling down as farmers; in addition, some 150 needy refugees received small grants.

121. The majority of the 24,000 Rwandese refugees living in the Congo could be considered settled by 31 December 1966, particularly since their legal position had just been strengthened by the repeal of the decrees mentioned above. There is reason to hope, therefore, that UNHCR assistance to Rwandese refugees in the settlements can be discontinued as soon as the UNHCR/ILO project is completed.

Sudanese refugees

122. At the beginning of 1966, 22,000 Sudanese refugees were living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most of them in the north-eastern part where they had found shelter among their tribal kinfolk near the Sudanese frontier; another 2,000 entered the country in the course of the year. The Congolese Government asked the High Commissioner for help in solving the problems raised by these refugees, but it was not until December 1966 that a UNHCR fact-finding mission was able to visit the area. The Congolese and Sudanese Governments entered into negotiations to facilitate the repatriation of those refugees who expressed their desire for it and the settlement of the remainder on the land in the interior of the Congo. Similar arrangements have been made by the two Governments for Congolese refugees in the Sudan. An agreement on this subject was concluded between the two Governments at the beginning of 1967.

123. Meanwhile a contribution of $45,000 was made from the UNHCR Emergency Fund in June 1966 to help the refugees to meet their immediate needs. However, owing to the turn of events in the area concerned in July 1966 and its geographical position, it proved necessary to delay the implementation of this assistance programme and to extend the time allowed for the programme until June 1967. In addition the Emergency Fund contribution of $45,000 had to be increased by $5,000.

124. Plans to resettle in new areas those Sudanese refugees who wished to stay in the Congo had not yet been completed by the end of 1966.

SENEGAL

Refugees from Guinea under Portuguese administration

125. On 1 January 1966 there were in Senegal 51,000 refugees from Portuguese Guinea. By the end of the year there were about 61,000 as a result of a large influx of new refugees, particularly into Casamance, already a densely populated area. The refugees continued to receive a spontaneous welcome from the local population, with whom they generally have ethnic affinities, but they have been encouraged to move into areas further from the frontier.

126. Since the refugees have shown no desire either to return home or to emigrate elsewhere, the main effort has been made in the direction of settling them locally as farmers and providing them with the necessary emergency assistance. The essential needs of both old and new refugees have been met with regard to food, clothing, blankets and transport, and the implementation of the land settlement programme continued in 1966 through the combined efforts of the Government of Senegal (which supplied land to an estimated value of some $2,145,000) , the United States Government (which donated $245,000 worth of food), UNHCR, the league of Red Cross Societies and the Catholic Relief Services.

127. The attitude of the local population and the vigorous efforts of the refugees themselves made it possible, with the full agreement of the Government of Senegal, to reduce the original UNHCR allocation for the 1966 programme from $260,000 to $200,000, comprising $141,000 to settle the refugees on the land and $59,000 for medical assistance.

128. Measures taken under the 1966 programme to continue the task of settling the refugees from Portuguese Guinea included the distribution of tools and seed, the installation of five veterinary stations for the refugees’ livestock, the construction of seventeen small bridges to make the various settlement areas accessible, the sinking of forty-two wells to increase the water supply, and the purchase of school materials for primary schools.

129. The $141,000 allocated to local settlement included a sum of $57,000 to cover the cost of moving inland some 2,000 tons of food donated by the United States.

130. The medical assistance extended to the refugees consisted mainly of the organization of three mobile health teams, which were in full operation before the end of 1966, and the extension of the Zinguichor hospital and the Nema hypnosery to enable them to accommodate the refugees. In addition a sum of $4,000 was committed to build a new village for lepers.

131. By the end of the year it was estimated that nearly two thirds of the refugee population could be considered to have reached the same level of living as the local population. The remainder are expected to be self-supporting by the end of 1967.

132. To this end, the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme has authorized him to make a new allocation of some $140,000 under the 1967 Programme, for the settlement of the refugees from Portuguese Guinea on the land in Casamance and for the establishment at Dakar, of a social service to assist several hundreds of refugees who are sometimes in a precarious situation.

TANZANIA

Rwandese refugees

133. The number of Rwandese refugees in Tanzania remained at about 13,500, including over 3,000 on the Mwesi highlands, 6,500 at Muyenzi, over 2,000 at Karagwe and about 2,000 outside the settlement areas.

134. The settlement on the land of the 3,000 Rwandese refugees at Mwesi proceeded steadily during the year. Satisfactory results have now been achieved in this area through the refugees’ own efforts, the financial support provided by UNHCR ($163,760 committed under the 1966 programme) and the help given by the Lutheran World Federation and the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. The increased area of land under cultivation, in addition to a bumper crop, made it possible to reduce the amount of food supplied under the World Food Programme by one third in 1966, and an even larger cut is expected for 1967. Irrigation channels have been dug by the refugees in some villages to provide better soil irrigation, and most of the construction work included in the project has been completed. A grant from private sources made it possible to extend the Mwesi dispensary.

135. On the initiative of the Oxford Committee and with funds to be provided by that organization, the Agricultural Development Service of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, in agreement with the Tanzanian Government, has undertaken to survey the economic potential of the region in which Mwesi is situated. The purpose of this survey is to determine the feasibility of a general development plan for the region.

136. At Karagwe the Tanzanian Government, a Danish volunteer them and the Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service are engaged in a joint effort to complete the settlement of 2,300 Rwandese refugees on the land; this task is almost at an end. The agricultural co-operative is thriving, and indeed some of the refugees may begin paying local taxes in the near future.

137. The 6,500 refugees at Muyenzi were also settled in more firmly through the completion in 1966 of the projects launched under the 1965 programme for the establishment of settlement headquarters, the purchase and maintenance of vehicles, road improvement and the distribution of banana plants.

138. The Rwandese refugees benefited during the year from a number of education projects financed by special contributions.

139. In conclusion, enough progress was made at the Karagwe settlements for the refugees there to be regarded as settled; satisfactory progress was also achieved at Mwesi. As for the refugees at Muyenzi they now have enough arable land to make them self-supporting in the very near future.

Refugees from Mozambique

140. There were 12,000 Mozambiquan refugees in Tanzania on 1 January 1966. They were living in two settlement, Rutamba and Lundo. In the course of the year their number increased to 19,000 with the arrival of 7,000 new refugees, particularly in the Muhukuru and M’Bamba Bay areas. In view of this steady influx, the Tanzanian authorities decided in mid-year to establish a new land settlement at Muhukuru for 6,000 refugees who do not belong to the same tribes as those settled at Lundo.

141. The Rutamba project, originally designed to accommodate 10,000 Mozambiquan refugees, was scaled down because there were only 6,000 refugees living in that settlement.

142. The High Commissioner made an allocation of $25,000 from his Emergency Fund to provide relief for the refugees at Muhukuru in preparation for their settlement on the land. The World Food Programme, for its part, undertook to supply them with food, while the Lutheran World Federation/Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service distributed tools and seeds, erected building for the refugees and supplied them with the necessary vehicles. The refugees at Lundo were granted emergency relief in an amount of some $10,700 out of the UNHCR Emergency Fund and a further $4,200 contributed by the Oxford Committee.

143. As a result of the revision of the Rutamba project, the initial allocation of $192,550 made under the UNHCR programme for 1966 was reduced to approximately $125,000. With this financial assistance from UNHCR and the active co-operation of the World Food programme and of the Lutheran World Federation/Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service, the land settlement of refugees at Rutamba made satisfactory progress. By the end of the year virtually an area of 720 hectares out of a total of 800 hectares turned over to them had been cleared, nearly every refugee had a plot of land, and there was every reason to believe that the food rations supplied by the World Food Programme could be reduced after the harvest in April 1967.

144. In addition, most of the buildings constituting the infra-structure of the settlement-a school unit comprising three classrooms, a health centre, and office block and staff housing-were either completed or in their final stages. The same applied to the laying of water pipes, the erection of tower tanks and the installation of pumps. A bridge had been built on the access road to the settlement, which can now be kept open to traffic all year round.

145. At the end of 19656 there were only 2,500 Mozambiquan refugees in the Muhukuru settlement, which had been planned to accommodate 6,000, but another 3,500 are expected to join them soon in 1967.

146. At Lundo, where UNHCR had committed $70,000 to a three-year project for 4,000 refugees, the initial cultivation yielded good results. However, progress was lowed somewhat during the year owing to transport difficulties created by the rainy season. Even so, the Tanzanian Government will be able to improve the access road by May.

147. The Mazambiquan refugees at Rutamba also benefited from supplementary education projects financed out of special contributions outside the programme. These contributions amounted to $18,160, most of which was donated by the Swedish Government to cover requirements for the 1965-1966 school year. The Swedish Government has also provided some $23,250 for use in the school year 1966-1967.

Congolese refugees

148. Of the 3,000 Congolese refugees in Tanzania at the beginning of 1966, 2,200 decided to return home during the year. Hence, on 31 December there were in Tanzania only 800 Congolese refugees, 500 of whom were sharing the Pangale settlement with 150 refugees from Malawi.

149. The $22,000 allocated by UNHCR, under the 1966 programme, for the development of the Pangale settlement had been fully committed by the end of 1966, in addition to the $1,100 allocated to help in repatriating 473 Congolese refugees. Moreover, the 500 Malawian refugees, had begun farming the land turned over to them, although they were still receiving food under the World Food Programme. A temporary dispensary was in operation in one of the three villages in the settlement and the Government of Tanzania had made arrangements to erect permanent buildings for these refugees.

150. Additional assistance will be required in 1967 to enable the Congolese refugees at Pangale to continue their settlement on the land. An allocation of $8,000 was approved for this purpose by the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s programme at its sixteenth session.

UGANDA

General remarks

151. Of the 156,000 Rwandese, Sudanese and Congolese refugees who were in Uganda at the end of 1966, some 47,000 were living in settlement where they benefited from programmes carried out by the Government with financial support from the international community. The Ugandan Government has stated that the remaining 110,000 or so refugees were living among the local population. In view of the very large number of refugees in Uganda, it has been impossible for the Government to ascertain how many refugees have returned home.

Rwandese refugees

152. The number of Rwandese refugees resident in Uganda on 1 January 1966 was estimated at 65,000. The arrival of 3,000 new refugees in the course of the year raised the total to approximately 68,000, of whom half found homes with relatives or friends; this should facilitate their assimilation. The remaining 34,400 were unevenly scattered among the seven settlements established for them by the Government of Uganda with the assistance of the international community. At the end of 1966, 13,000 Rwandese refugees in Uganda were still receiving food rations.

153. In order to help the Ugandan Government to relieve overcrowding in the rich Oruchinga valley, where nearly 11,500 instead of the expected 5,500 refugees were accommodated, UNHCR allocated a sum of $55,320 from its Emergency Fund in 1966 to facilitate the transfer of a first group of Rwandese refugees to a new settlement at Kyangwali and to help them settle in. The transfer was due to take place in the early month of 1967.

154. The process of establishing the refugees in the other areas continued smoothly during the year. UNHCR allocated the balance of a 1965 project for the purchase of seed and for marginal assistance to primary education. In addition twenty-four scholarships-twenty for secondary and four for technical education- were granted to Rwandese refugees.

155. Generally speaking, the progress achieved in various fields in 1966 gives every reason to hope that, provided the present course of events in the settlements is not altered by unforeseen developments such as drought or an influx of new refugees, the day is not far off when the Rwandese refugees in Uganda will be self-supporting.

Sudanese refugees

156. Taking into account, on the one hand, the voluntary repatriation of some 1,000 Sudanese refugees during 1966 and, on the other, the arrival of some 12,000 new Sudanese refugees, the total number of these refugees at the end of 1966 was 55,000. The Uganda Government found it necessary to transfer to the interior of the country a number of refugees who were already settling down. This naturally affected the organization of assistance to Sudanese refugees, and the Government had to review the measures being taken to solve their problems. In the meantime assistance to the refugees was continued out of the allocation of $442,100 approved by the Executive Committee under the 1964 and 1965 programmes.

157. In agreement with the Government, arrangements were made to settle the Sudanese refugees at Nakapiripirit, where there were already 3,000 refugees at the beginning of 1966, at Onigo, where there were 500 refugees, and at Agago, where there were 2,000 refugees. The arrival of 3,000 more refugees at Nakapiripirit naturally affected conditions for the 3,000 who were already living in the settlements and whose level of living was beginning to rise. As a result, the 6,000 refugees in this settlement will continue to require international assistance in 1967. The same applies to the original 500 refugees at Onigo, who were being helped by the Uganda Government. The arrival of 2,500 new refugees in the area created a need for international aid to settle them in. A sum of $195,000 had accordingly been allocated for that purpose under the 1967 programme. Encouraging progress has been made at Agago; more than 270 hectares of land have been brought under cultivation, and it is hoped that this figure will be doubled in 1967. The refugees are self-supporting in food and have even begun to sell their produce on the local markets.

158. Lastly, 242 Sudanese refugees benefited during 1966 from educational and vocational training projects paid for by special contributions.

Congolese refugees

159. With the arrival of some 5,000 new refugees during the year, the number of Congolese refugees living in Uganda on 31 December 1966 was estimated at 33,000.

160. Most of these refugees were living dispersed among the local population, but some received assistance from the international community. They were accommodated in three settlements. The largest of these-Acolpi-was planned for 3,000 persons, but there were only slightly over 800 refugees living there on 31 December.

161. With a UNHCR allocation of $60,000 under the 1966 programme, some of the infra-structural work planned for the Acolpi settlement was carried out. Land was cleared and tools and seeds distributed. Preliminary work to improve the access road was also begun. Most of this allocation, however, will be spent in 1967, when the number of refugees living in the settlement will in all likelihood reach 3,000, the figure originally expected.

162. In order to enable the Ugandan Government to continue and complete the proposed settlement of 3,000 Congolese refugees on the land at Acolpi, the Executive Committee has already authorized the High Commissioner to allocate $32,450 under his 1967 programme.

ZAMBIA

Angolan refugees

163. The number of Angolan refugees in Zambia, estimated at about 100 at the beginning of 1966, increased to nearly 3,800 by the end of the year after a mass influx of new refugees into the Balovale, Kalabo and Senanga districts and the voluntary repatriation of nearly 1,100.

164. A total of $76,000 was allocated from the UNHCR Emergency Fund in 1966 to provide emergency relief for these refugees and to move them to Lwatembo and Mankoya, where they were to be settled on the land. At the end of the year, 3,300 refugees were being established at Lwatembo and 500 at Mankoya. A sum of $338,000 has been included in the 1967 programme to help these refugees to settle in Zambia.

Mozambiquan refugees

165. The number of refugees from Mozambique, estimated at 5,000 at the beginning of 1966, had dropped to 1,800 by the end of the year. Some 1,000 new Mozambiquan refugees arrived during the year, mainly in the Petauke district, but about 4,000 of those who had preceded them to Zambia returned to their own country.

166. In 1966 UNHCR committed $5,000 from the Emergency Fund to help the Zambian Government to provide emergency relief for the new arrivals in the Petauke district at the end of 1965. This sum was used for the purchase of blankets, food, and the medicine needed to arrest an outbreak of measles in the district.

167. The settlement of the Mozambiquan refugees at Nyimba, where they have been regrouped, made satisfactory progress after a slow start. Virtually the entire UNHCR allocation of $95,000 under the 1966 programme was used to settle these refugees on the land as farmers. By the end of the year over 150 hectares of the land turned over to them had been cleared and brought under cultivation, and work was under way to increase the arable area even further. It is hoped, therefore, that the refugees will be self-supporting by the middle of 1968.

168. In addition, the infra-structure of the Nyimba settlement was improved during the year by the construction of water-towers, laying out the five villages in the settlement, and building an access road to the settlement from the main highway.

169. Additional assistance will be required in 19657 to enable the Mozambiquan refugees in Zambia to settle in more firmly. To that end the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, at it its sixteenth session, allocated a sum of $49,100 to help the refugees until such time as they become self-supporting, which should be towards the end of 1968.

OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES

170. There were approximately 250 refugees in Kenya in 1966. They benefited from the assistance of voluntary agencies in the country. The High Commissioner has allocated an amount of $1,500 in order to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of these refugees and to give them a certain amount of supplementary aid. Furthermore, the High Commissioner has contributed $9,000 from his Emergency Fund to Rwanda in order to participate in a relief operation for a group of 3,000 Burundi refugees who had been granted asylum by the Rwandese authorities.

C. Assistance to European refugees

ASSISTANCE UNDER THE MAJOR AID PROGRAMMES

171. At the twenty-first session of the General Assembly, the High Commissioner reported that the major aid programmes of his Office were nearing completion. By 31 December 1966, the financing of these programmes, which had been drawn up and approved between 1955 and 1963, was finally assured and all projects for their completion were being put into effect.

172. It will be recalled that these programmes were initiated in order to achieve the permanent settlement of several hundreds of thousands of European refugees, mostly victims of the Second World War. As stated at the beginning of this chapter, one of the most significant events in 1966 was the final closure of the remaining refugee camps in Europe. In the course of the year a total of 4,170 refugees were settled, leaving a caseload of 7,400, the majority of whom are in France (800), in the Federal Republic of Germany (3,960) and in Greece (2000).

173. Pursuant to a decision taken by the Executive Committee at its fifteenth session held in May 1966, some 2,100 «old» European refugees in areas other than Europe, for whom solutions were still required, have been brought within the scope of the UNHCR current programme. They included 1,150 refugees in the Far East, most of whom were awaiting movement to Hong Kong pending their resettlement in a country of final destination, 350 refugees of European origin in the Middle East and 610 in Morocco, many of whom are awaiting resettlement opportunities in other countries.

174. In France, where there are some 190,000 European refugees, recognized as such under the terms of the 1951 Convention and where the largest proportion of severely handicapped cases is to be found, projects for the placement of physically handicapped refugees in institutions are still in progress. In Germany, where there are some 180,000 European refugees, the limited remaining assistance caseload consists of refugees awaiting accommodation to be provided under the government housing schemes. In Greece, the solution of the problem depends upon the completion of substantial housing projects, most of which are in the course of implementation. There are still limited numbers of non-settled refugees in Italy and in Turkey where good progress is being made towards the solution of their problems.

175. In various European countries there are still several hundreds of non-settled handicapped refugees. Out of some 100,000 European refugees in Latin America-the majority in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela- there are still several thousands who, owing to old age or physical handicaps, are now unable to fend for themselves. Provision for assistance to these handicapped refugee has been included in the UNHCR current programme which is discussed below.

ASSISTANCE UNDER UNHCR CURRENT OPPERATIONS

176. The number of newly recognized European refugees in 1966 amounted to approximately 6,700, as compared with over 10,000 in the preceding year. As in the past, many of these refugees, who are young and in good health, were able to take advantage of the opportunities for immigration offered to them. Several thousands of them were resettled through the concerted efforts of the Governments of asylum countries, the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration, the United States Refugee Program and the voluntary agencies. The traditional countries of immigration overseas have continued to take a considerable interest in the resettlement of refugees and to apply a liberal policy in respect of their admission for permanent settlement. Also in Europe, several countries have continued to admit refugees, including the handicapped. Owing to changes in the situation of the labour market in several of these countries, however, there has been a slowing down of immigration which has had certain repercussions on the resettlement of refugees in these countries.

177. The Office of the High Commissioner has continued to follow closely this important aspect of the work of assistance to refugees. It has promoted the resettlement of 199 handicapped refugees, and it has financed, or co-financed the resettlement through migration of 630 refugees, including 251 handicapped, at a cost of $300,000 to the current programme for 1966. This number includes some 180 refugees of European origin who left the Far East via Hong Kong in order to be resettled in other countries. Among them are practically all the remaining members of the group of «Old Believers». At the end of 1966 there remained some 1,000 refugees of European origin on the mainland of China, most of them in the Sinkiang Province. Their resettlement in other countries is being arranged under the current programme for 1967 upon their arrival at Hong Kong.

178. The High Commissioner has also pursued his efforts to help the 610 refugees of European origin in Morocco and 350 in the Middle East to make a fresh start through resettlement in other countries.

179. The High Commissioner has given particular attention to the question of resettlement of refugees who have been admitted to Yugoslavia and for whom few resettlement opportunities have been forthcoming in 1966. The work of selection missions from countries of immigration in that country should be facilitated by the opening of a modern reception centre built by the Yugoslav Government in co-operation with UNHCR and also by the opening at Belgrade of an embassy by one of the principal overseas countries of immigration. It is hoped therefore that additional immigration opportunities for the refugees concerned will be offered in the course of 1967.

180. While a number of European refugees were able to establish themselves through their own resources in the countries which has offered them asylum, over 3,000 needed some form of international assistance under projects forming part of the 1966 programme, the majority in Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece and Yugoslavia. Most of these refugees benefited from establishment assistance and housing except in Yugoslavia, where they were helped to settle on the land.

181. Counselling services were again provided to a number of European refugees, particularly the handicapped, so as to guide them in the choice of an appropriate solution. In accordance with the principle whereby responsibility for assistance to refugees should be assumed as far as possible by the country of asylum or residence of refugees, efforts have been made to transfer the financial responsibilities for counselling from UNHCR to the Governments and voluntary agencies concerned. Good progress has been made in this respect, particularly in Austria, Italy, the Federal Republic of Germany and France so that the allocation for counselling in the 1967 programme could be considerably reduced, as compared with the allocation included in the 1966 programme.

182. The problems of the aged and otherwise handicapped refugees continue to require a great deal of attention, even though their numbers have considerably decreased. In view of the importance of this problem the High Commissioner was requested by his Executive Committee to prepare a reappraisal of their problems and more particularly of those of the severely handicapped cases. According to this reappraisal, there would appear to be 213 refugees whose physical, mental or social handicap is so severe that no solution could so far be found for them. If the countries which have already admitted the majority of the handicapped refugees with a view to their resettlement were prepared to make an additional effort, this number could be reduced to some 95 cases (200 persons) who would have to be placed in protected communities or specialized institutions. The above-mentioned group does not include the handicapped in Latin America. A study of their situation has been carried out by the former UNHCR mental health adviser and steps have been taken, especially in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, to secure appropriate care for several hundreds of them.

183. As may be seen from the above, resettlement through migration continues to play a very important role in solving the problems of European refugees. Similarly, considerable efforts are still required to achieve solutions for the remaining handicapped cases.

D. Assistance to other groups

CHINESE REFUGEES

184. According to a recent reassessment of the number of Chinese refugees in Macao made by the local authorities, their number amounted to some 73,000 at the beginning of 1966. In the course of the year, there was an influx of 2,600 refugees. As 1,500 refugees left Macao in 1966, their total number at the end of the year was estimated at nearly 74,000.

185. As in the past, UNHCR policy has been to support projects which would create employment opportunities and facilitate the rehabilitation and local integration of the refugees. UNHCR’s assistance was accordingly concentrated on a number of small projects in sectors where the need was greatest, such as housing, vocational training and education.

186. Further progress was made in the construction of 242 apartments on Taipa island, approved under the 1965 programme. Two other projects for the construction of apartments, envisaged on Taipa island and in Macao, and involving commitments of $100,000 and $16,800 respectively were deferred following the events which occurred in Macao at the end of the year.

187. The operation of a $10,000 revolving fund for the issue of small loans to refugees wishing to establish themselves in trade, though deferred at the close of 1966, commenced in early 1967.

188. A workshop which was to be constructed at the social rehabilitation centre for drug addicts on Taipa island, involving a contribution of $9,000 under the High Commissioner’s programme, was on the point of completion at the end of 1966. As regards education and training, a vocational training centre involving a UNHCR allocation of $15,000 was built on Coloane island. A similar centre is under construction on Taipa island, involving a UNHCR allocation of $15,600. UNHCR made available in 1966 half of the $30,000 approved allocation for a hostel for refugee girls, the construction of which started in Macao.

189. Although the events of the end of 1966 delayed some of the assistance projects, most of them were resumed in 1967. Generally speaking, the UNHCR programme, modest though it is, has made a satisfactory impact. It will be necessary, however, for further international assistance to be granted to the refugees in 1967 and an allocation of $145,000 has accordingly been included in the 1967 programme for this purpose.

190. The position of Chinese refugees in Hong Kong is very much the same as it was a year ago: they continue to benefit from the over-all development projects which are put into effect by the Hong Kong authorities for the population as a whole.

CUBANS

191. The principal problem with regard to Cubans arises in Spain, where the majority of them wishes to be resettled in the United States of America, mainly in order to join relatives.

192. As was stated in the report to the twenty-first session, following amendments to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Act, which became effective in December 1965, the rate of Cubans who could emigrate from Spain to the United States decreased considerably during the first two months of 1966. Although the number of visas issued has again increased since march 1966, new arrivals continued to outnumber those who were able to leave and in 1966, their influx amounted to 6,680, as against 2,415 accepted for resettlement in the United States, leaving at the end of the year a backlog of some 3,800 wishing to emigrate. Consequently there has been a need for additional arrangements in respect of the care and maintenance of newcomers by the Spanish authorities and UNHCR, and the voluntary agencies concerned have had to read-just their programmes accordingly.

193. As in previous years, however, the main needs of Cubans in Spain were met from their own resources and with the help of relatives and friends, while the Spanish Government provided food and medical care and voluntary agencies concerned themselves particularly with cases needing emergency relief.

194. Under the 1966 programme an amount of $14,000 was provided for small grants to help newcomers to secure accommodation and an amount of $85,000 towards the local integration of the limited number of Cubans who decided to settle in Spain and cannot do so without international assistance. To meet the needs of new arrivals, counselling services were provided by UNHCR in an amount of over $21,000.

195. Of the 2,751 Cubans who emigrated from Spain during 1966, 475 hardship cases were assisted to pay their passage to the United States, through a revolving fund established by UNHCR and the intergovernmental Committee for European Migration.

196. In Latin America emergency assistance was provided, at a cost of some $22,000, for over 900 Cubans in transit, on their way to be resettled in the United States.

197. The number of Cubans admitted to the United States increased from 249,000 at the end of 1965 to 288,000 at the beginning of 1967. Some 95 Cubans wishing to be resettled in Latin America and other countries, mainly for the purpose of joining their families, were given transportation assistance at a total cost of $10,555 to UNHCR.

TIBETAN REFUGEES

198. recent estimated indicate that during 1966 the total number of Tibetan refugees in Nepal was approximately 7,000, of whom 2,500 were living in organizes settlements where they were receiving assistance from various sources, while the others were still scattered in the remote mountain regions of the country.

199. The situation of the refugees in organized settlements had considerably improved by the end of 1966 when the basic requirements of refugees in respect of housing, schooling and medical care were not far from being met. Employment opportunities have also increased. This is illustrated by the fact that, at the beginning of the year, some 1,650 refugees were receiving food rations donated under the United States Agricultural Assistance Act, while by the end of the year about 1,000 of them no longer needed such assistance. It is expected that those who are able-bodied will be self-supporting by mid-1967. The handicapped will require special assistance thereafter. At the same time, however, efforts are being made in each settlement to provide for their continuing care through the co-operation of the working members of the local community.

200. While no new projects were undertaken during 1966, the four projects negotiated with the Nepal Red Cross society in 1965, involving a contribution of $124, 750 under the UNHCR programme, were continued. Good Progress was made in the Kathmandu settlement, where 90 out of 106 housing units had been constructed by the end of 1966, and in the Pokhara settlement, where work on the housing units was similarly well under way. The management and counselling project, involving a $9,000 allocation under the programme, whereby three volunteers of the United Nations Association of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are assisting the refugees in the Pokhara settlement in becoming self-supporting, is well under way.

201. A small project to provide medical care for refugees suffering from tuberculosis, for which $5,000 was allocated under the programme, was also put into effect in the course of the year.

202. In order to help consolidate the establishment of the 2,500 refugees living in organized settlements, an allocation of $71,000 has been included by the Executive Committee in the current programme for 1967.

203. While the problem of the physically handicapped will, it is hoped, be solved to a large extent, as indicated in paragraph 199 above, there remain the problems of the estimated 4,500 refugees, scattered in the mountainous areas which are of difficult access. The UNHCR representative in Nepal, who made a seventeen-day trek to the Mustang area to investigate their position, has reported on the serious needs of both the local population and the refugees in the area, particularly in the field of medical care. It is hoped that, should the Nepalese Government prepare a medical assistance programme in the framework of its general development plans for the area, it might be possible to secure funds from international sources in order to participate in such a programme, which would also benefit the refugees concerned.

204. As indicated in his report to the twenty-first session of the General Assembly, there are some 45,000 Tibetan refugees in India for whom assistance is provided by the Government of India. In addition, the help of a number of voluntary agencies is being co-ordinated by the Central Relief Committee of India. In accordance with the wishes expressed by the Indian Government, contributions from private sources were made available by UNHCR for complementary aid, in particular for the implementation of a medical programme through the Indian Red Cross Society in the Simla area. An allocation of $9,000 has been included in the UNHCR current programme for 1967 to continue this medical programme as suggested by the Indian Government. Furthermore, a number of projects have been drawn up by the Indian authorities concerned for the settlement of Tibetan refugees in agriculture and light industry. It is expected that many of these projects might be financed from the proceeds of the European Refugee Campaign for 1966.

KHMER REFUGEES

205. According to information received from the Cambodian Government some 17,000 Khmer refugees had entered the country during the period from 1962 to 1966. The Government generously provides the refugees with necessities and helps them to settle in agriculture. Upon its request, $10,000 were made available from the UNHCR Emergency Fund to establish three reception centres for the refugees. From a special contribution of over $23,000 granted by the Government of Switzerland through UNHCR for assistance to these refugees, agricultural implements will be made available to them in the course of 1967.

REFUGEES FROM ZANZIBAR

206. Since 1964 there has been a movement of residents of Arab origin from Zanzibar to the Arabian peninsula. The majority entered the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman; others who were unable to do so were granted asylum in the Trucial State of Dubai. At the end of 1966 their number had reached over 200. The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme accordingly approved an allocation of $10,000 to assist these refugees in settling in their new community.

Chapter IV ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

A. Financing of former programmes

207. Practically all the outstanding contributions to the 1963 programme have been paid, so that the financing of that programme was ensured by the end of 1966. All funds under this programme were committed as of 31 December 1966.

208. With regard to the 1965 programme, the shortfall which was reported to the General Assembly at its twenty-first session, and which was temporarily met from «funds set aside»,[4] has now been full covered.

B. Financing of the UNHCR current programme for 1966

209. As indicated in section A of chapter III above, it proved necessary in view of newly arising needs in the course of 1966, to raise the financial target of the 1966 programme from $3.9 million to $4,168,560. As the High Commissioner reported to the General Assembly previously, by 31 March 1966, thirty-three Governments had announced contributions to the 1966 programme in a total amount of $2,904,287. Since them further contributions in an amount of $219,688 were announced by another nineteen Governments. As of 31 March 1967, contributions paid, pledged or conditionally pledged had reached a total of $3,380,342 including $3,123,975 from governmental sources and $256,367 from other sources, as shown in more detail in annex VI to this report. Taking into account cancellations and reductions in approved allocations under the 1966 programme and further increased contributions from the non-governmental sector, the financing of that programme is now also ensured.

C. Financing of operations outside the 1966 programme

210. In accordance with the catalytic character of the UNHCR programme a considerable amount of funds were made available again for essential projects complementary to the current programme. These funds, referred to as «special trust funds», for operations outside the programmed were paid, pledged or conditionally pledged in an amount of nearly $560,000, including $188,910 from governmental source, mainly for the UNHCR refugee education account, and $361,000 from the private sector.

211. A considerable proportion of this amount is already included in the $610,000 referred to in paragraph 87 above and representing the value of assistance provided from trust funds in 1966.

D. Financing of the 1967 programme

212. As at 31 March 1967, a total amount of $2,521,737 had been paid, pledged or conditionally pledged towards the financing of the UNHCR current programme for 1967, leaving a gap of $2,062,393 against the present target of $4,584,130 as shown in more detail in annex VII to this report. While not all governmental contributions have as yet been announced, the High Commissioner is concerned about the size of the present financial gap which might further increase if the new and urgent projects, in an amount of $262,000, which are being submitted to the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme at its seventeenth session, are approved by the Committee, and if the financial target of the 1967 programme is increased accordingly.

213. The High Commissioner is grateful to several Governments, which, in accordance with previous recommendations of the General Assembly and of the Executive Committee, have agreed to increase their contributions to the 1967 programme. These increases, however, are already included in the total amount of contributions referred to above. While it is expected that some additional funds will be made available for the UNHCR current programme from the proceeds of the European Refugee Campaign, which was launched in 1966 and which is described below, it is to be feared that the full target of the 1967 programme might not be met unless the total governmental contributions increase above the 1966 level.

214. Furthermore there is every reason to believe that in 1968, when far smaller amounts may be expected from the private sector, a considerable shortfall in the financial target will appear which might seriously impair the work of assistance for refugees. The High Commissioner had therefore felt it his duty to address and appeal to Governments, including most Members of the United Nations and members of the specialised agencies, in order to seek both wider and increased financial participation in the UNHCR programmes so that their financing may be assured, in accordance with the terms of General Assembly resolution 2197 (XXI).

E. Use of the Emergency Fund

215. During 1966 a total amount of $246,250 was drawn from the Emergency Fund mainly to meet newly emerging needs in respect of refugees in Africa pending the approval of further assistance projects by the Executive Committee. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 1166 (XII), the fund was restored to its $500,000 ceiling from the reimbursement of loans previously granted to refugees under various projects.

F. Refugee campaign, 1966

216. As stated in paragraph 186 of the report submitted by the High Commissioner to the General Assembly at its twenty-first session, a large-scale fundraising campaign for refugees was launched on United Nations Day, in October 1966, mainly to finance permanent solutions for refugees outside Europe. The campaign was initiated and organised by a group of voluntary agencies. His Royal Highness, Bernhard, Prince of the Netherlands accepted the chairmanship of the group. The campaign was started simultaneously in eighteen European countries. Private organizations in Australia and New Zealand generously associated themselves with this venture, and the agencies in Sweden held their campaign in the spring of 1967. Thus a total of twenty countries[5] shared in this humanitarian effort, which was further enhanced by the fact that United Nations Day 1966 was dedicated to the cause of refugees. In most participating countries, the campaign was prolonged until the end of 1966. Though final results are not yet known, it is possible to state that the campaign has been very successful. It is clear, however, that it was the wish of the donors to raise funds needed to help refugees who had hitherto not benefited from international assistance or to provide other refugees with a little more than the bare minimum which they are receiving. While a good deal of the funds will be allocated in close consultation with the High Commissioner, and some of them channelled through UNHCR, only a limited amount of about $500,000 has so far been made available towards the financing of UNHCR current programmes.

Chapter V PUBLIC INFORMATION AND PROGRAMME SUPPORT

217. In 1966, the public information services of UNHCR continued to bring before a wide public the problems of refugees, and the steps being taken towards their