61. The Statute of the Office of the High Commissioner defines the persons of concern to the High Commissioner and the action he may undertake on their behalf. While the various tasks defined in the Statute have been extended by subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly, the Statute has, throughout the years, remained the pivotal point in UNHCR efforts to extend international protection to refugees. This derives from the fact that as an Assembly resolution the Statute is of universal application and can be invoked irrespective of whether or not the State in which a refugee problem arises is a party to the basic international refugee instruments. The effectiveness of the Statute as a basis for international protection was once again demonstrated during the reporting period, with the emergence or continuation of refugee problems in a number of States not parties to these instruments in different areas of the world.

2. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and 1967 Protocol

62. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees remains the most important instrument yet adopted by the international community to ensure that refugees are treated in a decent and humane fashion. Since its adoption on 28 July 1951 the Convention - the personal scope of which was extended by the 1967 Protocol - has come to be regarded as one of the most important humanitarian instruments which have been drawn up and promulgated by the United Nations. In previous years the High Commissioner was able to report a steady increase in the number of States parties to the Convention and the Protocol. During the reporting period two further States - the Seychelles and Upper Volta - acceded to the Convention and to the 1967 Protocol and Jamaica, already a party to the Convention, acceded to the Protocol. The total number of States parties to either or both of these instruments is now 83. Accession has been announced by Angola, Egypt and Lesotho. Accession to the Convention and to the Protocol is also under active consideration by a number of other States, including States in areas not yet represented among the parties to these instruments. The High Commissioner believes that further accessions during the present year, to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Convention, would be particularly appropriate.

63. A related question to which the High Commissioner also attaches considerable importance is that of national implementing measures to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and Protocol. There has been considerable progress in this regard over the years and, as noted in paragraphs 18 and 49 above, during the reporting period implementing measures have been adopted by a number of countries with particular regard to procedures for determining refugee status under the Convention and the Protocol.

64. In view of its now considerable experience with this matter, the Office is increasingly called upon to advise States in regard to such procedures and, in the preparation of other implementing legislation.

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

65. In addition to the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol, there are a number of other legal instruments which have been adopted at the international level and which are of importance to refugees.

66. There are currently 18 States parties to the 1957 Agreement relating to Refugee Seamen. [14]14 During the reporting period, Italy acceded to the 1973 Protocol relating to Refugee Seamen, bringing the total number of States parties to this instrument to 14. Five further States ratified the Protocols additional to the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949. Protocol I contains important provisions for the protection of refugees in armed conflict and for family reunification. There are currently 17 States parties to this instrument.

67. There have been no further accessions to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons [15] or to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The promotion of further accession to these instruments, which are also relevant to refugees, remains a concern of the Office.

68. The International Covenants on Human Rights (General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI)) are also of relevance to refugees, since the observance by States of the human rights defined in these instruments will also be reflected in their treatment of refugees. There are currently 68 and 66 States parties to the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights respectively.

4. International instruments adopted at the regional level concerning refugees

69. The legal position of refugees can be reinforced by the adoption of appropriate legal instruments at the regional level. In this context special mention should be made of the 1969 OAU Convention Relating to Specific Aspects of the Refugee Problem in Africa. This Convention contains a widened definition of the term "refugee" in addition to provisions relating, inter alia, to asylum and voluntary repatriation.

70. The special importance of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention was stressed by the 1979 Arusha Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa. The Conference recommended that the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, the regional complement in Africa of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, be applied by the United Nations and all its organs as well as by non-governmental organizations in dealing with refugee problems in Africa". [16] The recommendations of the Arusha Conference were fully endorsed by the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government meeting in Monrovia in July 1979 and by the United Nations General Assembly at its thirty-fourth session (resolution 34/16 of 29 November 1979). As a result of this development, the OAU Refugee Convention, including its widened definition of the term refugee, [17] has become an important additional basis for the Office's protection activities in Africa. With the accession of the Seychelles in September 1980 there are now 21 States parties to the OAU Refugee Convention.

71. Within the American continent, a legal framework of relevance to refugees is to be found in the various inter-American conventions relating to asylum. A significant event during the reporting period was the adoption in Caracas of the Inter-American Convention on Extradition which contains, inter alia., a provision prohibiting the extradition of bona fide refugees. The Convention also specifically upholds the right of asylum, when its exercise is appropriate.

72. The work of the Council of Europe in the legal field has greatly assisted the solution of legal problems of refugees arising in this region. Of notable importance are the Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees and the Agreement on Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees. The latter instrument was adopted during the period under review and addresses itself to the particular problem of defining the circumstances in which responsibility for a refugee who has moved to the territory of another Contracting State is transferred to that State. As of 31 March 1981 two States had become parties to this Agreement.

G. Promotion, advancement and dissemination of the principles of protection and of refugee law

73. While Governments are, of course, the principal partners of the High Commissioner in the exercise of his international protection functions, the Office has frequent contact with entities outside government circles such as universities and institutions of higher learning. Such contacts are particularly important in the context of the promotion and dissemination of the principles of refugee law. In this connection, the Office maintained contact with the International Institute of Human Rights at Strasbourg and the Hague Academy of International Law; close relations exist between the Office and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law at San Remo. Several seminars and conferences of relevance to the advancement of refugee law were held at San Remo under UNHCR auspices during the course of the year. Of special note was the Congress on International Solidarity and Humanitarian Action which was held from 11 to 18 September 1980. With a view to furthering the teaching of refugee law, contact was also made with various universities throughout the world, including the United Nations University in Tokyo.

74. The Office is conscious of the very valuable contribution which legal experts meeting in their own capacity can make to the promotion and development of refugee law. The Round Table of Asian Experts on International Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Asia which met under UNHCR auspices in Manila from 14 to 18 April 1980 was an important event in this regard. During the reporting period, the Office convened a working group of participants with a view to following up the recommendations of the Round Table. In its conclusions, the working group drew particular attention to the need for asylum seekers to be granted at least temporary refuge and for the principle of non-refoulement to be observed.

75. On the intergovernmental level the Office, as in past years, followed the deliberations of bodies such as the Human Rights Commission in so far as they concerned refugee matters. The Office has worked in close collaboration with UNESCO in connection with the promotion of the teaching of refugee law and also followed the activities of the working group entrusted with the task of preparing a draft Convention on the Rights of the Child. With a view to ensuring that the interests and special circumstances of refugees were taken into account, the Office also participated in the work of the Special Committee of Governmental Experts responsible for preparing a draft Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in African States.

76. The Office has also participated in a variety of promotional activities at the governmental level. A seminar for officials on refugee law and immigration procedures was convened by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania in close collaboration with UNHCR in October 1980 and a Colloquium on Asylum and the Protection of Refugees in Latin America, opened by the High Commissioner and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, was held in Mexico City in May 1981. This colloquium was organized by the Mexican authorities, again in close collaboration with UNHCR, and attended by government officials and Latin American experts in the field of refugee law. Seminars and colloquia such as these play a recognized role in the promotion and dissemination of the principles of international protection and refugee law.

CHAPTER II ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA

A. General developments

77. Africa entered the eighties on a note of apprehension with regard to refugee problems. The previous decade has seen refugees steadily grow in number from some three-quarters of a million in 1970 to almost five million in 1980. This state of flux has now clearly reached dire proportions. Many African countries have shown a deep sense of solidarity with the refugees through open-door hospitality and the upholding of the principle of non-refoulement, even in the case of large-scale influxes.

78. UNHCR continued to respond, in co-operation with host Governments, to the needs of the refugees in Africa. The largest refugee problem on the continent is in the Horn of Africa and the Sudan. In the Horn of Africa, the programmes of assistance, begun in 1978, continued to provide relief for new arrivals. In Somalia, several new camps were opened in the region of Gedo Hiran and the north-west. Food deliveries to the camps improved steadily, and the fuel problem was overcome through emergency procurement and medium-term measures. Assistance measures were strengthened in the Sudan and in Djibouti, while a programme for returnees was initiated in Ethiopia.

79. UNHCR was requested to undertake the over-all co-ordination of the international effort to assist in the repatriation and initial rehabilitation of Zimbabwean refugees and displaced persons; by the end of 1980 all 250,000 refugees who had taken shelter, mostly in Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia, had been repatriated, part of them with UNHCR assistance. After an interagency mission to Zimbabwe in April 1980, the High Commissioner informed the international community about the intended assistance measures and the funding needs.

80. Further to the 1979 Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa which was held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, UNHCR continued to co-operate actively during the reporting period with OAU as regards the implementation of the Conference's recommendations covering legal and assistance matters as well as in the dissemination of information. The OAU/UNHCR Working Group on Arusha held its second follow-up meeting at the Headquarters of UNHCR on 4 and 5 December 1980. The Working Group considered progress reports on various implementing actions both by UNHCR and the OAU. With regard to legal matters, UNHCR completed four implementing papers which were adopted during the last meeting of the Working Group and transmitted to the OAU Council of Ministers; the Council will consider them during the OAU Summit in Nairobi in June 1981. With regard to the assistance recommendations, a number of studies and research projects with a view to proposing solutions and conceiving ways and means of properly tackling the problems of African refugees in the coming decade are either currently in progress or planned.

81. Another landmark with regard to refugees during the reporting period was the General Assembly's adoption of resolution 35/42 of 25 November 1980 on the International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa. In paragraph 4 of this resolution requested the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in close co-operation with the Secretary-General of OAU and the High Commissioner, to convene at Geneva on 9 and 10 April 1981, at ministerial level, an International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa. UNHCR undertook to provide the Conference with its secretariat. In collaboration with the OAU and the United Nations Secretariat, UNHCR prepared the Conference documents, held meetings with Governments as well as with United Nations specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations, and was also responsible for Conference information materials.

82. Obligations in Africa in 1980 totalled just over $100 million under UNHCR General Programmes and some $71 million under Special Programmes, as indicated in Table 1 of annex II. Of the total amount of $171 million, just over half was obligated for multipurpose assistance ($52 million) and local settlement ($40 million). In addition, over $2,350,000 were made available from the Refugee Education Account, and an amount of $250,000 was provided from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa for assistance to individual refugees.

B. Main developments in various countries or areas

1. Angola

83. The number of refugees in Angola at the end of 1980 was estimated at 73,000, consisting of 50,000 Namibians, 18,000 Zairians and 5,000 South Africans.

84. The UNHCR programme of assistance to Namibians had to be revised upwards owing, to large numbers of new arrivals. The mid-year figure of 36,000 had increased to 50,000 by the end of 1980. In spite of programme readjustments, the immediate needs of the refugees in all domains remained considerable. Over the year, a total of $3,494,200 was obligated for basic needs which included health care, education and transport. In addition, contributions in kind including blankets, clothing, food and medicines valued at $1,116,000 were made available under Special Programmes.

85. The 18,000 Zairians who chose not to return home after the amnesty decree promulgated towards the end of June 1978 are now on the way to successful settlement in the provinces of Luanda, Malange, Kwanza Norte and Kwanza Sul. In addition, UNHCR assisted a few small groups of Zairians to return home by air.

86. With regard to the 5,000 refugees from South Africa, 4,000 were new arrivals during 1980. They were made up of students, intellectuals, artisans and peasants who were either members or sympathizers of the banned African National Congress. UNHCR assistance to this group consisted mainly of air-lifting food supplies.

87. Total expenditure in Angola in 1980 amounted to $6,054,927, of which $4,865,179 were obligated under General Programmes and $1,189,748 under Special Programmes.

2. Botswana

88. During 1980, 22,441 Zimbabwean refugees were voluntarily repatriated. The Government estimates that 1,300 refugees, consisting mainly of Angolans, South Africans and Namibians, remain in Botswana.

89. The Government, following its decision to accommodate all unemployed urban -refugees at the Dukwe settlement, gave financial assistance to the settlement in 1980, and is in 1981 the major financial contributor to this project, which is assisting refugees to achieve local integration through self-reliance. At the end of 1980, there were 786 refugees residing in the settlement. Transport, health and educational services were provided while agricultural, community development and supplementary feeding programmes were continued. Food supplies were provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) under a bilateral agreement with the Government. UNHCR and the Lutheran World Federation, which is the implementing agency, continue to contribute financially, and local voluntary organizations and agencies within the United Nations system also provided various forms of assistance.

90. A total of 182 refugee students of' various nationalities were admitted into the University, the Polytechnic, the National Health Institute as well as public and private schools in the country with financial assistance from UNHCR or United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa (UNETPSA).

91. A total of $1,287,900 was obligated to cover the UNHCR General and Special Programmes in Botswana in 1980, amounting respectively to $823,580 and $464,320.

3. Dlibouti

92. The number of refugees, mainly from Ethiopia, in Djibouti was set at 42,000 in mid-1980. At year end, following a review of the situation, the Government estimated that approximately 9,800 refugees were staying in Ali Sabieh and 10,347 in Dikhil refugee camps; the number of refugees in Boulaos camp was given as 500 and remained unchanged as of the same date. With regard to urban refugees, 2,800 recognized refugees have remained in Djibouti town as have a number of asylum seekers whose status is under consideration. The number of bona fide refugees was therefore estimated to total 25,000 as at 31 December 1980. In addition to that caseload, government sources indicate the presence in Djibouti town of a sizeable yet unidentified urban group.

93. UNHCR continued, as in previous years, to provide relief assistance to the refugees in camps. The burden of regular food rations was shared by UNHCR, WFP and voluntary agencies. Refugees in the Mouloud agricultural settlement, Boulaos camp and a number of urban refugees in Djibouti also benefited from food distribution. Additionally, quantities of high-protein supplementary food were made available. Supplementary aid is provided on an individual basis, mainly to urban refugees in cases of particular need. In Djibouti town, counselling services mainly benefited individual refugees in such matters as education and resettlement. UNHCR assistance in the health sector included fresh food for mother-and-child centres, supplementary food for refugees receiving medical treatment and provision of a prefabricated tuberculosis ward at Ali Sabieh. A voluntary agency recently provided a medical team for Dikhil.

94. Assistance was provided by UNHCR to ease the difficult situation of refugees in areas such as housing for refugee camps, transportation, infrastructure and equipment for a transit centre, and construction of school facilities for refugee camps.

95. Because of the limited possibilities for local integration, UNHCR efforts concentrated on resettlement and placement for English-speaking refugee students in other countries. Some refugees with a good knowledge of French were awarded UNHCR scholarship to study in Djibouti, where a limited number of places in educational institutions was available.

96. In 1980, UNHCR purchased prefabricated buildings for a community centre at the Moulod agricultural pilot project to be erected with the technical assistance of a voluntary agency, and educational assistance was given to urban refugee students who organized self-help groups to upgrade their knowledge while awaiting placement.

97. Total obligations in 1980 came to $4,781,000, of which $4,209,500 under the General Programmes and $571,550 under Special Programmes.

4. Egypt

98. The refugee population in Egypt increased slightly to 5,500 by the end of 1980, owing to the arrival of Ethiopian refugee students.

99. UNHCR activities concerned educational assistance, mainly to African refugees at all levels from primary school to university, with an emphasis on vocational training. Financial assistance was provided in the form of annuities to stateless refugees, especially elderly people who have been in Egypt for many years. Temporary assistance was given to refugees of various origins who live or are in transit in Egypt.

100. The most urgent problem faced by the Office continues to be the decreasing resettlement opportunities for African refugees once they have terminated their studies or training. This is due largely to the general situation in the Middle East as a result of which work opportunities for refugees are less easily obtained. Renewed efforts are being made to obtain suitable employment on a more systematic basis.

101. Some 1,500 persons received guidance from the counselling service during the year. This covered mainly socio-cultural and educational problems faced by African students; elderly refugees of other origins also benefited from this service.

102. A group of 219 refugee students, mostly Africans, was assisted at the lower secondary level, and another 42 are undergoing vocational training. At the higher educational level, 258 students benefited from assistance.

103. Total obligations in Egypt in 1980 amounted to $1,352,058, of which $741,269 under General Programmes and $610,789 under Special Programmes.

5. Ethiopia

104. During the reporting period, the total number of refugees in Ethiopia, mainly of Sudanese origin, remained relatively constant at around 11,000. Some 5,500 southern Sudanese have been living for several years in the Gambela area and no longer require UNHCR assistance. Other Sudanese refugees, mostly men of rural origin, reside in camps at Ganduar. Since their arrival in Ethiopia in 1971/72 they have received UNHCR care and maintenance and WFP supplies. Individual refugees of various origins living in Addis Ababa have long been a source of concern in view of their precarious living conditions and limited employment prospects. In co-operation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), consideration has been given to the establishment of a small-scale industrial project on which a number of refugees in and around the capital could be engaged. In addition, a number of urban refugees have undertaken training courses with a view to improving their chances of employment.

105. Humanitarian assistance to displaced persons in Ethiopia, which forms part of the special programme of assistance in the Horn of Africa, began in 1978 to cater for the most needy of these groups. The programme continued in 1979 and 1980, and some 300,000 persons have so far benefited from it.

106. UNHCR has established, in co-operation with the Ethiopian Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, an initial project on a pilot basis to assist in the development of the infrastructure for five reception centres for returnees, each with a minimum capacity of 1,000 persons at any one time or a total of up to 10,000 returnees at all five centres.

107. Assistance to refugees was provided in the field of education at various levels, and supplementary aid was given for resettlement purposes. The establishment of a new rural settlement is envisaged for a number of refugees of rural origin, to enable them to achieve self-sufficiency within a reasonable period of time.

108. Assistance measures designed to promote the local integration of individual refugees in Ethiopia through their placement in jobs, crafts and trades, apprenticeships and education were undertaken during 1980. With intensive counselling and orientation, a number of urban refugees underwent retraining in order to improve their prospects of obtaining employment.

109. Total obligations in Ethiopia in 1980 amounted to $2,932,894, including $699,164 under General Programmes and $2,233,730 under Special Programmes.

6. Kenya

110. The total number of refugees in Kenya at the beginning of 1980 was approximately 5,800, of whom 3,500 were Ugandans. By the end of April, a majority of the Ugandans had left. But during the year, some 500 refugees entered the country, thus bringing the total number at the end of the year to around 3,500.

111. Assistance was mostly directed towards the local integration of refugees in and around urban centres, and included counselling, placement and allowances for accommodation, clothing, education, medical attention and transport.

112. The reception centre for asylum-seekers at Thika, near Nairobi, has become operational and is ready to receive up to 140 asylum seekers who have applied for refugee status or other refugees in need of temporary accommodation.

113. Work on the rural settlement of Witu, in the north-east of the country, will be resumed upon signature of an agreement with the Government, which is expected to take place shortly. It is planned that refugees without professional skills will be moved into the settlement when it is completed.

114. For the implementation of its programmes in Kenya, UNHCR benefits from the co-operation of Government services, UNESCO and voluntary agencies including the Joint Refugee Services of Kenya, the Kenya Catholic Secretariat, the All African Conference of Churches and the YMCA.

115. Total obligations in Kenya amounted to $2,636,695, of which $2,060,649 under General Programmes and $576,046 obligated under Special Programmes.

7. Lesotho

116. According to current government estimates, the refugee population in Lesotho is put at some 10,000 persons, most of whom are students from South Africa. The total number of refugees registered with UNHCR for assistance in Lesotho at the end of 1980 was 956.

117. Local voluntary organizations and agencies within the United Nations system provided various forms of financial and material assistance for the benefit of refugees in Lesotho. UNHCR assistance was mainly concentrated on providing additional facilities at the secondary and technical levels in order to enhance the education and employment prospects for refugees. Assistance was provided for the construction and equipment of three workshops and staff offices at Lerotholi Technical Institute for tailoring, dressmaking and upholstery. Moreover, construction of a transit centre for South African refugees at Maseru began in July 1980. The centre is scheduled for completion in June 1981.

118. Counselling was provided for some 600 refugees in spheres ranging from employment and education to resettlement. Under the Trust Fund for southern African refugees, the second phase of the project for the construction of additional class-rooms, laboratories and accommodation for South African refugees in secondary schools, which commenced in June 1979, is now virtually completed.

119. Amounts of $576,500 for the General Programmes and $200,900 for the Special Programmes were obligated for refugees in Lesotho in 1980. Of the total amount of $777,400, a sum of $45,000 was made available from the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa.

8. Mozambique

120. Of the 150,000 refugees in Mozambique at the beginning of 1980, some 28,000 Zimbabweans were repatriated with the assistance of UNHCR, and a significant number returned home on their own. Those remaining in the country, and who have settled among the local population, are no longer considered refugees and therefore receive no UNHCR assistance. After the repatriation of Zimbabweans, some 100 refugees, mostly of South African origin, remain in Mozambique.

121. UNHCR assistance continued in 1980 pending the repatriation of Zimbabwean refugees from the settlements of Tronga, Mavudzi, Matenze and Mirrote, as well as for the Provincial Refugee Services in Nampula. The assistance covered such items as blankets, shoes, medicaments, soap and clothing. Funds were also used for a mechanical workshop in Beira which was established for the maintenance of project vehicles.

122. Supplementary aid was provided for the provision of food for adults, baby food, clothes and toilet articles as well as travel expenses for needy refugees living in or in transit through Mozambique and who could not benefit from assistance from other sources. UNHCR also contributed towards running and maintenance costs of the reception centre in Maputo administered by the Government where refugees in transit received care and maintenance. Funds were disbursed for such expenses as water, electricity, and supplementary food items.

123. Since the available public transportation facilities could not possibly cope with the sheer numbers of Zimbabweans returning home, vehicles and spare parts were purchased-, medical equipment, ambulances, communications equipment and tents at transit facilities were made available. Vehicles and spare parts were returned to UNHCR after the completion of the repatriation operation and subsequently reallocated, mostly to UNHCR programmes in Zimbabwe.

124. In 1980, total obligations in Mozambique amounted to $11,426,558, of which $4,806,745 were for General Programmes and $6,619,813 for Special Programmes.

9. Somalia

125. The number of Ethiopian refugees in camps was reported by the authorities to total 1.2 million at the end of 1980.

126. In some 40 camps opened in the regions of Lower Shebelle, Gedo, Hiran and the north-west, the majority of refugees are women, children and elderly men without any means of support. Large numbers are nomads. The lack of natural resources in the area, aggravated first by the prevailing drought and subsequently by floods, has made large-scale international aid indispensable.

127. The assistance programmes have, for this reason, had to give priority to aid for survival and for immediate relief. Through agricultural surveys and pilot schemes, efforts have however been initiated for self-reliance projects, which are a major concern of medium- and long-term assistance planning.

128. The 1980 programme, based on the assessments of a United Nations interagency mission undertaken in December 1979, was the subject of an appeal to the international community by the High Commissioner in March 1980. Under this programme, for which UNHCR had been appointed over-all Co-ordinator by the Secretary-General, WFP was entrusted with the responsibility for basic food supplies which were delivered at an estimated value of $90 million over the calendar year.

129. Other assistance measures, financed by or channelled through UNHCR, included medical supplies shelter materials, domestic items, vehicles and provisions for various transport costs including fuel. Assistance was also granted for water supply, communal facilities, education, community development, agricultural activities and technical support in the form of international expert teams.

130. Owing to developments over the year, particular attention needed to be given to the fuel requirements of the relief transport fleet and to water provisions in the refugee camps. The increased quantities of supplies needed in the various regions also necessitated a restructuring of the transport/logistics system, efforts which are being pursued-in 1981.

131. Implementation of the assistance programmes is primarily the responsibility of the Somali Government and its National Refugee Commission. Considerable support for these tasks has, however, been received from members of the United Nations system co-operating under the UNHCR programme, in particular WFP, ILO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The technical teams provided by both the Swedish and the Swiss Governments and by some 25 voluntary agencies have, through their activities in the region been a major factor in the progress reported.

132. The main achievements of the programme have been the extension of effective supplementary and intensive feeding programmes to most vulnerable groups'. As a result of these efforts and the development of other curative and preventive health programmes, mortality and morbidity rates have declined in the camps. The camp population has also benefited from an improvement of communal facilities and various community services provided by an increased number of both national and international staff.

133. Major tasks, however, still remain if general improvement and full control of this dramatic refugee situation is to be ensured. In order to cope with these programme requirements UNHCR opened in 1980 three sub-offices in Gedo, Hiran and the north-west. A UNHCR Co-ordinator for the Horn of Africa and the Sudan has been appointed for regional assessment and co-ordination.

134. Total obligations by UNHCR in 1980 amounted to $59,315,200, of which $42,685,700 under General Programmes and $16,629,500 under Special Programmes. Included in the total obligations are contributions in kind valued at $18,759,200, of which $9,037,500 were under General Programmes and $9,721,700 under Special Programmes.

10. Sudan

135. During 1980, the refugee population in the Sudan grew rapidly. Owing to a new influx of 30,000 Ugandan refugees at the beginning of October 1980 and of 8,000 refugees from Chad in December 1980, the Government estimates its refugee .population at the end of 1980 to be 480,000. This included 3,00,000 Ethiopians, 69,000 Ugandans, 16,000 Chadians and 5,000 Zairians. With a view to coping with this large refugee population, the Government declared 1980 as "The Year of the Refugee in the Sudan", and organized a conference in Khartoum in June 1980.

136. After a joint assessment by UNHCR and the Sudanese authorities, an emergency project was established to cover the urgently-needed assistance measures for the newly-arrived Ugandan refugees in south Sudan.

137. UNHCR efforts in the Sudan concentrated on financing the local settlement programme, which was considerably increased in 1980. There are three types of settlement: rural settlements based on individual farming, rural settlements based on wage employment in several large irrigation projects in the eastern province and semi-urban settlements. To facilitate the local integration of the refugees, UNHCR provided funds for the establishment of viable settlements which would enable the refugees to become self-sufficient. UNHCR assistance included help in meeting interim subsistence needs, in constructing settlement headquarters and in ensuring an adequate water supply and other amenities. Agricultural machinery was provided for the agricultural settlements.

138. The refugee counselling services, jointly sponsored by the Government, UNHCR and a number of voluntary agencies, strengthened their ability to assist urban refugees in adjusting to their new surroundings by arranging their education and vocational training, and by meeting their medical and other social needs. The Sub-Offices in Gedaref, Port Sudan and Juba have also provided similar counselling services. Some 9,000 beneficiaries were taken in charge by the counselling services in 1980.

139. The educational programme was greatly enhanced in 1980 with the recruitment of two Programme Officers for Education and Counselling. Some 1,171 refugee students were assisted at the lower-secondary level, 32 at post-secondary level and 35 at university level.

140. During 1980, 284 Ethiopian refugees, 296 Ugandan refugees and 226 Zairian refugees were repatriated.

141. In August 1980, UNHCR began registration of refugees for-resettlement in the United States. By the end of the year, 280 persons had been selected and 246 had already left. Further resettlement of 133 refugees was undertaken; 42 went to the Federal Republic of Germany, 26 to Sweden and Denmark, 12 to the United Kingdom, 20 to Kenya, 13 to Somalia, and 12 persons to Canada. In addition, some refugees were assisted in resettling spontaneously, mainly in the United Arab Emirates.

142. Total obligations in 1980 were $15,899,727, of which $11,010,772 under General Programmes and $4,888,935 under Special Programmes.

11. Swaziland

143. The total number of refugees in Swaziland at the end of 1980 was 5,214, virtually all of whom were South Africans. Some 435 refugees were granted asylum during the year.

144. Assistance continued in 1980 towards the local integration of some 5,000 South African refugees at Ndzevane rural settlement in south-eastern Swaziland on land purchased by the Swazi Government, with the Lutheran World Federation acting as the implementing agency. Refugees have already planted their first cotton crops. With technical support from the Government, refugees also constructed disinfecting dips for cattle, goats and sheep. The settlement now also benefits from an improved water supply system and a mobile health clinic. The World Food Programme provided food aid to the refugees while UNICEF provided two ambulances and drugs for the clinic. The Government of Swaziland continues to furnish the required land for the settlement, which is intended to be fully integrated into the national development plan for the area by the end of 1983.

145. Swaziland continues to admit refugees to educational institutions at all levels, and has decided that 10 per cent of places at its University College would be reserved for Qualified refugee applicants.

146. For individual refugees, assistance was given for local integration, supplementary aid, counselling, and, where possible, resettlement abroad. Local voluntary agencies continued their substantial financial and material contributions towards the welfare of the refugees. UNETPSA provided scholarships for eight students at the University College of Swaziland.

147. Amounts of $1,253,163 under General Programmes and $64,235 under Special Programmes were obligated by UNHCR for refugees in Swaziland in 1980.

12. Uganda

148. During 1980 the number of refugees in Uganda remained at approximately 113,000 comprising 80,000 Rwandese, 32,000 Zairians and 1,000 Ethiopians. Prior to the events of 1979, about 42,000 refugees, mainly Rwandese, lived in eight rural settlements. Since then one of the settlements has been closed, the refugees transferred to the other seven. Moreover, a number of refugees who had previously lived outside the settlements have now sought accommodation inside them. Thus, the total number of refugees in the seven settlements now exceeds 45,000. Prior to the events of 1979 most of the refugees, both in the rural settlements and urban areas, were well integrated socially and economically.

149. Work on the repair and reconstruction of rural settlements financed from General Programmes funds obligated in 1979 continued throughout 1980, after having been delayed because of unsettled conditions in the country. In addition, the Special Operation that was launched in 1979 to assist an estimated 25,000 refugees, 50,000 returnees and 265,000 displaced persons continued during 1980. The High Commissioner appealed for an amount of $13.3 million; by the end of 1980, contributions totalling more than $7 million were received, including $859,216 in kind. A major part of these contributions has been utilized to cover the cost of transporting food supplied by WFP, particularly for the Karamoja region. For this purpose, 31 vehicles were purchased from UNHCR funds. Approximately 20,000 tons of WFP food were transported, with the assistance of the Church of Uganda and other voluntary agencies. In September 1980, the UNDP Resident Representative was appointed as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for United Nations Emergency Relief Operations in Uganda. The role of UNHCR in Karamoja was phased out by end March 1981.

150. Apart from the Special Operation launched as a result of particular humanitarian needs arising in 1979, UNHCR has pursued existing programmes relating to local integration, counselling, secondary, technical and university education, supplementary aid and, to a limited extent, resettlement and repatriation. South African refugees were assisted under the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa. Counselling services have been expanded and improved with a counselling office established in Fort Portal, near the seven rural settlements which are situated in west and south-west Uganda. A senior counsellor and supporting staff have been employed for this purpose.

151. Total obligations in Uganda during 1980 amounted to $3,041,034 for assistance in Uganda described above, including $250,922 from General Programmes and $2,790,112 from Special Programmes.

13. United Republic of Cameroon

152. According to Government figures, the total number of Chad refugees stood at 100,000 in August 1980. By the end of the year, it was estimated that a further 10,000 refugees had entered the country.

153. Emergency funds were obligated to sustain basic needs. This was followed by a programme of assistance which was approved by the Executive Committee of UNHCR at its thirty-first session and which included the provision of tents, supplementary food, building materials, medical aid, educational services, household utensils and water for the camp at Kousseri. The relief programme involved UNICEF, Caritas, Care, Catholic Relief Services, Médecins sans frontières and OXFAM. Staple foods, in particular grain, were provided by several donors, notably the European Economic Community. Two medical dispensaries were funded by UNHCR and staffed by teams from OXFAM and Médecins sans frontières.

154. Total obligations in 1980 for assistance to refugees in the United Republic of Cameroon were $9,859,000, which included $7,818,000 from General Programmes and $2,041,500 from Special Programmes.

14. United Republic of Tanzania

155. In early 1980, the number of refugees in the United Republic of Tanzania stood at some 156,000. In the course of the year, 26,000 Rwandese refugees were naturalized, and 500 Ugandans and 350 Zimbabweans were repatriated. In addition to 129,500 Burundi in rural settlements, there were small groups of various other origins. However, a survey in the Kigoma area confirmed the presence of 22,500 hitherto unregistered, spontaneously-settled Burundi refugees, and a further 4,000 Zairians on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Thus, the total number of refugees again stood at 156,000.

156. Most of the refugees from Burundi were accommodated in the three rural settlements of Katumba, Mishamo and Ulyankulu. The settlement of Ulyankulu, which accommodates over 24,000 refugees and was first started in 1972, was handed over to the Government at the end of June 1980 after the refugees reached the level of self-reliance and after completion of all infrastructure and the reorganization of the number of villages, which was reduced from 13 to 11. The administration of these villages is now organized under village councils. At Mishamo settlement, established in 1978, the population stood at some 30,000 persons by the end of 1980. During the year, progress was accomplished in various sectors, such as the completion of the settlement headquarters, the distribution of household utensils and agricultural equipment and the upgrading of access roads and bridges.

157. After the repatriation of Ugandan refugees, the Kigwa settlement was used to accommodate South Africans and other refugees, mainly from Burundi and Zaire. These mainly urban refugees were assisted towards self-sufficiency and given greater access to nearby Tabora town.

158. In addition to the programmes relating to the settlements, UNHCR also provided multipurpose assistance -to Zimbabweans returning home as well as to individual refugees of various origins, including some 200 refugee students from southern Africa. Fields covered included supplementary aid, local integration, education, counselling, resettlement and repatriation. Special funds were obligated within the framework of the International Year of the Child to furnish 85 primary schools in the Katumba settlement. Legal assistance was provided for the naturalization of some 26,000 Rwandese refugees at the end of 1980.

159. Total UNHCR obligations in the United Republic of Tanzania in 1980 under the General Programmes amounted to $5,863,773 and to $591,523 under the Special Programmes.

15. Zaire

160. The total number of refugees in Zaire was estimated to be around 350,000 to 400,000 at the end of 1980, with some 215,000 Angolans in the Bas-Zaire, Kinshasa, Bandundu and Shaba regions, and approximately 100,000 Ugandans in the Haut-Zaire region, 11,000 Burundi and 22,000 Rwandese in the Kivu region, and about 1,800 Zambians in the Shaba region. A group of 173,000 Zairian returnees in the Shaba region was also assisted under the Special Programmes in 1980.

161. In the Bas-Fleuve sub-region, the UNHCR rural settlement programme, implemented since 1977 by the Association Internationale de Développement Rural (AIDR), has progressed satisfactorily. The number of refugees in the rural settlements of Kimbianga, Lundu Matende and Mfuiki reached some 25,000 at the end of 1980 and was not expected to increase further.

162. In the field of agriculture, the rural settlement programme drawn up in 1979 continued in 1980. The distribution of plots of land in the villages was terminated, and a great number of refugees in the Kimbianga and Lundu Matende settlements have constructed houses with durable materials.

163. The food aid distribution in the Kimbianga and Lundu Matende settlements ceased at the beginning of 1981, the village dwellers having become self-supporting, and it is envisaged that the refugees will sell their surplus in the local markets. Programmes of preventive medicine continued in 1980 and in order to improve the health of undernourished children nutritional education programmes were organized at the dispensaries in each centre.

164. The primary education programme continued during 1980 and was attended by some 4,924 children.

165. In the Cataractes sub-region, a local assistance programme, created in 1979 comprising a medical assistance and an educational assistance component, was continued until the end of 1980. Food aid -was distributed at the beginning of 1980 to some 4,000 refugees. Medical assistance, comprising preventive and curative measures, was implemented by two doctors from "Médecins sans frontières" and two missions in Kimpese, the Institut Médical Evangélique and Les Soeurs de la Charite'.

166. In the Haut-Zaire region, the local integration programme for some 50,000 Ugandan refugees in the zone of Aru, initiated in 1979, continued in 1980. The Diocese of Mahagi implemented the project until July 1980, when the Sub-Office in Bukavu took over until the programme was entrusted to the AIDR in September 1980.

167. The sudden influx of some 100,000 new refugees in the zone of Aru in October 1980 changed the magnitude and scope of the assistance required. Emphasis was put on local purchases of food and on the purchase of medicines and supervision of dispensaries in the area by the Médecin sans frontières doctor and a team consisting of refugee doctors and local medical personnel, who worked in close co-operation with the local medical authorities. The transfer from the border area and settlement of the refugees decided by the Government of Zaire and foreseen for 1980 have been postponed to 1981.

168. Under repatriation projects in favour of Angolan refugees, 255 refugees were transported by air from Kinshasa to Luanda. The project has been extended into 1981, pending the conclusion of the tripartite missions to assess the number of potential Angolan repatriates from Zaire (see para. 55 above).

169. Total obligations for assistance in Zaire in 1980 amounted to $8,485,060, of which $6,523,185 were under General Programmes and $1,961,875 under Special Programmes.

16. Zambia

170. The number of refugees in Zambia, estimated at some 57,000 at the end of 1979, decreased considerably towards the end of 1980 when the total stood at some 36,000. Of these, 22,000 were Angolans, 5,500 were Namibians, 5,000 were Zairians and 3,500 were from South Africa. As a result of -the Lancaster House Agreement in December 1979, a total of 20,539 Zimbabweans were repatriated from Zambia under UNHCR auspices with Lutheran World Federation acting as operational partner. The operation ended on 22 October 1980 when the last train carrying 1,200 schoolgirls arrived in Bulawayo.

171. UNHCR provided assistance to returning Zimbabweans in the form of clothing, blankets, tents and supplementary food. Vehicles to transport these supplies were also provided.

172. The rural settlement at Meheba, which accommodates approximately 10,000 refugees, will be handed over to the Government at the end of 1981. In the meantime, UNHCR provides assistance aimed at improving infrastructure, encouraging small-scale business activities and enhancing agriculture by the cultivation of cash crops. Lutheran World Federation, the implementing agency for this settlement project, also contributed financially.

173. A total of 1,178 refugees benefited from the UNHCR counselling service which now consists of a social services specialist as well as a counsellor.

174. The former transit centre at Makeni, near Lusaka, was transformed into a resource centre to accommodate new arrivals and to provide advice on education or employment, as well as to handle special cases in need of rehabilitation. Additional counselling services oriented towards durable solutions are to be provided.

175. Total obligations in Zambia during 1980 amounted to $6,876,585, which included $2,730,939 under General Programmes and $4,145,646 under Special Programmes.

17. Zimbabwe

176. Following the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement, UNHCR was invited to co-ordinate the repatriation of some 250,000 refugees who had taken shelter in Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia. After the independence of Zimbabwe, UNHCR was also called on to arrange their resettlement as well as that of displaced people who were living either in "protected villages" or in urban areas. The total number of returnees and displaced persons in need of immediate assistance was estimated at 660,000.

177. The repatriation operation began on 21 January 1980 and was implemented in two phases, one prior to the elections held in Zimbabwe at the end of February, and the other thereafter under the authority of the new Government. By 31 December 1980, a total of over 72,000 refugees had been brought back to their homeland under the auspices of UNHCR. In addition, an undetermined but large number of refugees spontaneously found their way home, particularly from Mozambique. Except for a small number of refugee students who remained in their countries of asylum to finish their studies, virtually all Zimbabwean refugees have now returned home.

178. On 14 January 1980, the High Commissioner appealed to Governments for funds to cover the cost of the repatriation operation. Total obligations for the operation amounted to $18,639,700, of which $6,079,500 were obligated within Zimbabwe, the balance being obligated for the repatriation of Zimbabweans from Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia. In addition to this, contributions in kind amounted to $744,899.

179. Upon request from the New Government of Zimbabwe, the Secretary-General appointed the High Commissioner to co-ordinate, for an initial period, a humanitarian assistance programme for the benefit of returnees and displaced persons within Zimbabwe. On 13 April 1980, the High Commissioner informed the international community about the intended assistance measures and of the funding needs of the programme. Cash needs for the programme were determined at $110 million, and in addition to this, food needs were estimated at $30 million. The programme ran from May 1980 to April 1981, and most of the projects were completed within that span.

180. Due to the multitude of tasks facing the Government of Zimbabwe after independence, its own refugee policy could not be formed within the first year. The Government has, however, stated its intention to accede to the 1951 Refugee Convention and to the Protocol and to exercise a liberal policy of asylum.

181. Total obligations in Zimbabwe in 1980 amounted to $24,307,000, of which $5,000 under General Programmes and $24,302,000 under Special Programmes.

18. Other countries in Africa

182. In other countries in Africa, there were over 250,000 refugees of concern to UNHCR at the end of 1980.

183. The refugee situation in the Maghreb countries of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia changed little during 1980. The total refugee population, excluding Sahrawis, remained in the region of 2,700, many of whom are elderly people. Although the small residual number of beneficiaries decreased slightly, some new arrivals and the rising cost of living necessitated increases in local settlement and supplementary assistance funds, both in Tunisia and in Morocco, as well as in the higher education project in Algeria. The number of direct beneficiaries from local settlement assistance during 1980 was less than 100, mostly elderly people in Morocco. These receive monthly allowances, assistance for medical treatment, rent and other daily needs. Most of the Latin American refugees in Algeria are self-reliant, but, when necessary, language or vocational training facilities are made available to those who need it.

184. At its thirty-first session the Executive Committee decided to allocate under the 1981 General Programmes an amount of $1,625,000 for assistance to some 50,000 Sahrawi refugees, mainly women, children and elderly persons, in the Tindouf region of Algeria.

185. Total obligations in 1980 for the three countries amounted to $133,838, of which $125,542 from General Programmes and $8,296 from Special Programmes.

186. The estimated numbers of refugees in Burundi and Rwanda remained virtually unchanged in 1980, at 50,000 and 10,000 respectively. In Burundi, programmes established in previous years were pursued in both rural and urban sectors and included counselling, primary education, rural resettlement and assistance in setting up small family businesses. In Rwanda, multipurpose assistance, mainly in the form of supplementary aid in the areas of medical care, housing and resettlement, was provided for over 2,500 refugees, and 165 individuals were assisted at the secondary and higher levels of education. Obligations for the two countries in 1980 under the General and Special Programmes amounted to $3722 400 for Burundi and $210,000 in Rwanda.

187. In the Central African Republic, UNHCR continued to provide emergency assistance towards refugees from Chad, whose numbers had increased in 1980 to some 7,000. Individual refugees from other African countries were also admitted. A total of $189,000 was obligated from General Programmes, while $280,000 were obligated from the Emergency Fund.

188. The programme of assistance to returnees to Equatorial Guinea started by UNHCR in 1979 continued through the greater part of 1980. It was implemented up to end July 1980 by Caritas.-Malabo and Caritas-Bata. Thereafter, at the Government's own request, the implementation was assumed by Government services, and was completed by the end of October 1980. According to available figures, some 14,428 persons, including 6,816 schoolchildren, benefited from that assistance. Total obligations in 1980 amounted to $250,750 from the Trust Fund for Equatorial Guinea.

189. There was a reduction in the estimated 30,000 refugees at Gabon at the beginning of the year due to continued repatriation of Equatorial Guineans, who ceased to benefit from refugee status as at 1 March 1980; no new requests for determination of refugee status have been received since that date. Total obligations in 1980 were $163,060 of which $96,937 from General Programmes and $66,123 from Special Programmes.

190. The number of refugees in Nigeria at the end of 1980 had risen to 105,000. This was due to the arrival of some 100,000 refugees from Chad for whom the Government of Nigeria organized a programme of assistance. UNHCR was requested to undertake an emergency programme to provide basic needs as at 1 March 1981. In 1980, $630,897 were obligated from General Programmes for multipurpose assistance, counselling and legal aid as well as educational assistance at the lower secondary level, mainly for refugees from southern Africa. Southern African refugees also benefited from educational assistance at university level, for which $62,000 were obligated under Special Programmes from the Education Account.

191. In Senegal, the number of refugees remained unchanged at some 5,000 of various origins. UNHCR continued to channel various forms of assistance through the National Committee for Aid to Refugees. A total of $616,473 was obligated in 1980, of which $373,583 from General- Programmes which covered multipurpose assistance and counselling and $242,620 from Special Programmes including educational assistance at the higher secondary and university levels.

192. A total amount of $729,958 was obligated in other countries in Africa not mentioned above under both General and Special Programmes.

CHAPTER III ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN THE AMERICAS

A. Latin America

1. Introduction

193. UNHCR continued to maintain its representation in the area through its three regional offices: northern Latin America, north-western South America and southern Latin America. The bulk of UNHCR Programmes for refugees in Latin America was concentrated in the northern part of the region. Assistance continued to be provided to Nicaraguan refugees who had departed their country in 1978 and 1979, and new programmes had to be implemented in favour of large numbers of Salvadorians who began leaving El Salvador early in the reporting period. At 31 December 1980 there were approximately 175,000 refugees in Latin America receiving assistance from UNHCR; this represents an increase of about 65,000 over the previous year.

194. The rise in the caseload required a considerable increase in expenditures for emergency humanitarian assistance. Voluntary repatriations, the arrangements for which were again coordinated with the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) continued, with requests from Brazilian, Chilean and Nicaraguan refugees for assistance to return to their respective countries of origin. Where refugees were offered only temporary asylum, as was the case in several countries, UNHCR acted to meet immediate needs and to assist with resettlement to a third country. Programmes to facilitate the integration of Indo-Chinese refugees who were resettled in Latin America following the July 1979 Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons were continued, as were family reunification programmes.

195. During the reporting period Nicaragua acceded to both the 1951 Refugee Convention and to the 1967 Protocol; Colombia, already a party to the Convention, also acceded to the Protocol. Two Governments established national refugee commissions: the Comisión Nacional para Refugiados (CONAPARE) in Costa Rica and the Comisión Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados in Mexico.

196. Rising costs and the declining health of many of the elderly refugees of European origin who live throughout the region made it necessary to continue long- term local integration measures in favour of this group of refugees.

2. Northern Latin America

197. The reporting period saw mass movements of refugees in northern Latin America. There were very large movements from El Salvador following the events in the country. Relatively small influxes were first reported in April/may 198o. However, the number of refugees grew steadily, and by June UNHCR was providing emergency assistance to destitute Salvadorian refugees in Honduras and other countries in response to requests from Governments. By the end of 1980, the number of Salvadorian refugees had reached an estimated 80,000, about half of whom were receiving UNHCR assistance in six of the countries of the

198. The greater part of the Salvadorian refugee caseload consisted of small farmers and farm labourers; a high percentage were women and young children. In Belize, Mexico and Nicaragua the refugees were scattered throughout the country, while in Costa Rica and Panama they tended to gather in or around the capital. In Honduras they have mainly mingled with the local populations of small villages along the border, except in La Estancia and Colomoncagua, where they lived in camps.

199. In most of the host countries, these refugees did not have a clearly defined legal status and were generally not allowed to work. Most of UNHCR assistance to this group was therefore devoted to multipurpose assistance, including such items as food, shelter, medical care, clothing and other subsistence needs. Medium- to long-term solutions were planned and, in some cases, began to be implemented towards the end of 1980. For example, a model farm was established in Costa Rica to serve as a permanent reception and training centre for refugees and as a rural settlement. Similar projects were under study for other countries of the region.

200. In addition to the Salvadorians, refugees from Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Caribbean and the southern cone of South America also sought refuge in the area, particularly in Costa Rica and Mexico. By the end of the year under review the total number of refugees in northern Latin America was estimated to be nearly 100,000 persons, of whom Salvadorians were the great majority.

201. The rehabilitation programme on behalf of returning Nicaraguan refugees and internally displaced Nicaraguans continued to be implemented throughout 1980. This programme, funded from contributions in cash and in kind to the High Commissioner's appeal in August 1979, consisted of several projects aimed at reactivating agricultural activities and improving health conditions. It was worked out in close co-operation with the Nicaraguan authorities and implemented by two governmental bodies, the Instituto Nicaragüense de Reforma Agraria (INRA) and the Fondo Internacional para la Reconstrucción (FIR).

202. It will also be recalled that the large repatriation movement to Nicaragua coincided with the departure of several thousand persons from the country. This group had sought refuge in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. In response to Government requests, UNHCR provided material assistance aimed at local integration to some 3,500 displaced Nicaraguans in Honduras and in El Salvador. UNHCR projects in both countries were concluded shortly after the middle of 1980.

203. In April 1980, approximately 700 Cubans arrived in Costa Rica. An emergency assistance programme was set up by UNHCR on behalf of this group, which was implemented by a governmental Commission for Cuban Immigrants. The programme was terminated in October 1980. By the end of 1980 a large number of these Cubans, who had been granted temporary asylum by Costa Rica, had been resettled in other countries - mainly outside the region - with the assistance of ICM.

204. Total expenditures for the countries of northern Latin America were $7,151,517. An amount of $911,500 was obligated from the Emergency Fund to provide relief assistance to the first groups of Salvadorian refugees early in the reporting period.

3. North-western South America

(a) Peru

205. The major development in the refugee situation in Peru was the arrival during the reporting period of new groups of refugees from Bolivia and the Caribbean. These arrivals raised the number of refugees of Latin American origin in-Peru to 659 as at 31 December 1980. The number of European refugees, most of them elderly, further decreased to 800.

206. In April 1980, the Peruvian Government offered to receive a maximum of 1,000 Cubans. A total of 742 Cubans arrived in Peru, where they were accommodated in a reception camp till August 1980. By the end of the year 492 of them remained in Peru, the others preferring to resettle in the United States, Canada and other third countries. Both Cubans and Bolivians received residence permits from the Peruvian authorities.

207. Assistance was channelled mainly through the Comisión Católica Peruana de Migración - which also assisted refugees in transit through Lima and the Peruvian Red Cross; the Bishopric of Puno also assisted with Bolivian asylum seekers who arrived there. ICM assisted UNHCR in arranging travel in connexion with resettlement.

208. Total obligations in Peru amounted to $523,219, of which some $180,000 were used to provide supplementary aid - mainly food and clothing - for needy refugees.

(b) Other countries in north-western South America

209. The refugee population in the other countries of north-western South America declined slightly during the reporting period to approximately 20,500 persons as at 31 December 1980. The number of refugees of European origin fell to about 12,000 due to death and naturalizations, while the number of Latin American refugees rose to 8,500 persons due essentially to the arrival of several hundred Bolivians. As in previous years, the largest number of refugees in this area were in Venezuela with smaller groups in Ecuador and Colombia.

210. Assistance to these refugees emphasized counselling and the implementation of self-sufficiency projects; however, refugees had to depend longer on care and maintenance assistance than was formerly the case, due to the unfavourable economic situation prevailing throughout the area.

211. Total obligations for these countries amounted to $287,817 under both General and Special Programmes.

4. Southern Latin America

(a) Argentina

212. The over-all refugee population in Argentina was estimated at some 26,300 persons as at 31 December 1980. Of this number, 20,000 were of European origin, some 5,000 of Latin American origin and 1,300 were from Indo-China. The number of Latin American refugees remained constant as departures for resettlement and voluntary repatriation were offset by new arrivals.

213. As in previous years, assistance activities on behalf of Latin American refugees focused on the facilitation of durable solutions in the form of resettlement in third countries, voluntary repatriation and, for those refugees who were granted residence permits, local integration. During the reporting period, 181 refugees were resettled while 61 persons repatriated voluntarily, mainly to Chile.

214. UNHCR continued to assist those refugees from South-East Asia who arrived in Argentina in 1979 following the Government's offer of resettlement opportunities for 1,000 families. The local integration of this group is being pursued in rural areas. For the group in Buenos Aires, a rehabilitation programme is under way with the collaboration of the Government and voluntary agencies. UNHCR provided funds for the reconditioning of two reception centres, for the provision of care and maintenance and language training to the refugees during their stay in the centres, as well as for the provision of installation grants upon their moving from the centres to their final destinations.

215. Total UNHCR obligations amounted to $3,895,114, of which $889,855 went to provide care and maintenance to refugees awaiting a durable solution.

(b) Chile

216. The number of refugees of European origin living in Chile further decreased to some 1,500, about 200 of whom were in need of assistance from UNHCR. However, as in previous years, the bulk of UNHCR assistance in Chile consisted of facilitating the family reunion of Chilean dependents with refugee heads of family already resettled abroad. An amount of $117,000 was obligated for resettlement assistance on behalf of some 330 persons. Supplementary aid, counselling and legal assistance pending resettlement were also provided.

217. Obligations under General Programmes in Chile totalled $296,135 in 1980, $36,500 of which were for local integration assistance.

(c) Other countries in southern Latin America

218. A UNHCR presence in Bolivia was required in the latter part of 1980. The main activities were assisting a number of Latin American refugees already living in Bolivia and facilitating family reunion with Bolivian refugee relatives already in countries of asylum.

219. The number of Latin American refugees who arrived in the region, which comprises Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, increased during the reporting period. In most cases, such refugees were admitted in transit only. They therefore required care and maintenance, training, legal advice and counselling while permanent resettlement opportunities for them were sought. In 1980, a total of 705 Latin American refugees left, mainly from Brazil, for countries of permanent settlement. The remaining refugee population - some 26,500 elderly European refugees - continued to benefit from local integration measures.

220. With the arrival of a third small group of Vietnamese refugees, the number of Indo-Chinese refugees in Brazil rose to 84 persons. This group too was admitted on a permanent basis and is in the process of integrating locally. UNHCR assistance to them was channelled through a governmental body, the Sistema Nacional de Emprego, which is attached to the Ministry of Labour.

221. Due to inflation, expenditures under many items had to be increased. Obligations totalled $957,315, of which $545,000 were for supplementary aid and $111,100 for transportation of resettled refugees.

B. North America

222. As in previous years, the UNHCR Regional Office in New York continued to assure permanent liaison with United Nations Headquarters and with the various agencies of the United Nations system based in the United States of America. The Regional Office also continued to monitor the refugee situations in the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean. The UNHCR Liaison Office in Washington, which was opened at the beginning of 1979, maintained relations with the United States Government and with American non-governmental organizations.

223. Close co-operation between the Canadian authorities, both at the federal and provicial levels, was maintained by the UNHCR Branch Office in Ottawa. During the year under review a number of provincial governments demonstrated an increased interest in refugee matters, particularly as regards the resettlement of refugees. The traditional co-operation with non-governmental organizations was further strengthened, especially in the field of public information. The Standing Conference of Canadian Organizations concerned with Refugees, which had been set up with UNHCR support to co-ordinate the refugee-related activities of voluntary organizations, now has 66 members.

224. Both Canada and the United States continued to receive refugees and displaced persons from South-East Asia for permanent settlement. During 1980, the United States accepted 152,481 Indo-Chinese refugees, of whom 90,591 were "boat people" and Canada admitted 35,382 refugees and displaced persons from Indo-China, 25,467 of whom were "boat people". More than half of those who arrived in Canada were accepted under the private sponsorship programme, which was started in 1978. Refugees from other parts of the world, notably from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean were also offered resettlement opportunities in both countries.

225. Total obligations in the two countries in 1980 amounted to $158,025 for Canada and $329,022 for the United States.

CHAPTER IV ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN ASIA

A. General developments

226. The problem of refugees and displaced persons in Asia continued to be of major concern to the Office, with a marked increase in the number of Afghan refugees entering Pakistan and other countries in the region. Their number in Pakistan alone was estimated to be some 1.4 million at end 1980. The influx has continued into 1981 and a more exact assessment of their numbers in Pakistan is being undertaken in a joint endeavour by UNHCR with the Pakistan Government.

227. There were continuing arrivals of Indo-Chinese refugees into neighbouring countries, both by land and by sea. The relatively high rate of resettlement, resulting from the Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons in South-East Asia, convened by the Secretary-General in July 1979, continued well into 1980, and led to a net reduction in remaining caseloads. This contributed to a significant improvement in camp conditions. At the same time, substantial efforts and