CONTRIBUTIONS OF $19 MILLION FOR 2001 PROGRAMME OF UNHCR ARE PROMISED AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLEDGING MEETING

Press Release
GA/9815
REF/1168

CONTRIBUTIONS OF $19 MILLION FOR 2001 PROGRAMME OF UNHCR ARE PROMISED AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLEDGING MEETING

Further Global Appeal for Funds Set for December; Agency Official, Grateful for Support, Says Limitations in Donations Are Understood

Some $19 million for the 2001 Programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was pledged this morning at a meeting of an Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly which was convened for the announcement of such contributions. A global appeal for funds for the UNHCR is to be launched in Geneva in December.

Opening today's meeting, the President of the General Assembly, Harri Holkeri (Finland), warned that the relief agency faced a financial shortfall, both for the current year and for its anticipated needs in 2001. He said what had begun 50 years ago as a small office with a modest budget, and activities confined to seeking solutions to the problem of refugees in post-war Europe, had become -– in the words of the Secretary-General -– "a massive relief agency ministering to millions of people around the globe".

The UNHCR, he said, had been rationalizing and simplifying its budget procedures, and pursuing an ongoing dialogue with donors. The pledges announced today would help create a solid financial base for next year's activities, and demonstrate the resolve of the international community to assist victims of persecution and violence worldwide.

The relief agency’s Director of the Division of Communication and Information, John Horekens, said that, as a result of streamlining its activities, the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner had approved an annual programme budget of $890 million. This was lower than the initial estimates for 2000. Despite budgetary constraints and a decline in funding, the agency must strengthen its capacity to respond to refugee crises, and intensify efforts to provide a secure environment for refugees. A new approach should be developed to deal with complex refugee movements. Meanwhile, the final challenge was the promotion of post-conflict coexistence in divided communities.

UNHCR Pledging Conference - 2 - Press Release GA/9815 1st Meeting (AM) REF/1168 10 November 2000

Statements

Mr. HOLKERI, the General Assembly President, said that fulfilment of the UNHCR’s important mandate depended largely on the support of governments. The Conference provided the opportunity to express that support. On 14 December, the UNHCR would commemorate its fiftieth birthday. Much had changed since the 1950s. From a small office with a modest budget and activities that were confined to seeking solutions to the problem of refugees in post-war Europe, the UNHCR had become -– in the words of the Secretary-General -– “a massive relief agency ministering to millions of people around the globe".

He said the High Commissioner had been engaged in an ongoing process of rationalization and simplification of its budget procedures, adjusting the mechanisms that governed the resourcing of its budget, and engaging in an ongoing dialogue with donors. Nevertheless, it faced a financial shortfall, both for the current year and for its anticipated needs in 2001. Attached to the invitation received by participants at today's meeting was an annex showing the estimated requirements for 2001, in order to meet minimum standards of protection and assistance to those of concern to the UNHCR.

The contributions announced today, he went on, would help create a solid financial base for those activities next year. The pledges would demonstrate the resolve of the international community to assist victims of persecution and violence worldwide.

JOHN HOREKENS, Director of the UNHCR Division of Communication and Information, said that he wanted to recall the priorities outlined by the High Commissioner this past week before the Third Committee. The UNHCR must strengthen its capacity to respond to refugee crises. It must intensify efforts to provide a secure environment for refugee workers and the refugees themselves. It also needed to develop a new approach to complex refugee movements. Also important was the need to encourage multilateral forums to pursue peace. The final challenge was that of promoting post-conflict coexistence in divided communities.

The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner had approved an annual programme budget of $890 million, he said. That target was lower than the initial estimates for the year 2000. This was a result of the effort of the Office to streamline activities. The Office had presented its budget plans in a unified formula with the hopes of encouraging contributions from donor countries. The clarity of the programme had improved and the new budget structure had allowed for a more equal distribution of resources to various programmes.

Unfortunately, he said, there had been some difficulties because of a decline in funding. The Office was striving hard to deal with the constraints of the budget. He hoped that this year’s contributions would be made earlier and would be larger. Today’s Conference was an occasion to help the UNHCR translate its mission into action. On behalf of the High Commissioner, he expressed the Office’s deep appreciation for the contributions that were made by Member States.

UNHCR Pledging Conference - 3 - Press Release GA/9815 1st Meeting (AM) REF/1168 10 November 2000

Pledges or statements of support were made by the representatives of Algeria, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, Norway, Finland, Mexico, Austria, Republic of Korea, Japan, Germany, Liechtenstein, China, Morocco and the United States. Some representatives said their contributions would be made at a later date.

Pledges Announced

----------------------------------------------------------- Algeria $50,000 ----------------------------------------------------------- Hungary $35,000 ----------------------------------------------------------- Turkey $150,000 ----------------------------------------------------------- Norway 170,000,000 kroner ----------------------------------------------------------- Austria 5,000,000 schillings ----------------------------------------------------------- Germany 8,500,000 deutsche marks ----------------------------------------------------------- Germany (Albert Einstein Fund) 3,500,000 deutsche marks ----------------------------------------------------------- Liechtenstein 50,000 Swiss francs ----------------------------------------------------------- China $250,000 ----------------------------------------------------------- Morocco $50,000 -----------------------------------------------------------

The Committee was informed that the following Member States had made pledges in writing:

------------------------------- Monaco $10,000 ------------------------------- United Arab Emirates $54,000 ------------------------------- Yemen $2,160 -------------------------------

In concluding remarks, Mr. HOREKENS said he was grateful for all expressions of support. He understood that it was not always possible to contribute funds. A global appeal for 2001 would be held in Geneva in mid-December, which would allow for further announcements of contributions. Hopefully, by next year, budgetary exercises would be linked to the funding process. He thanked all donors for their pledges. The money would immediately be used for the first obligations of the relief agency for 2001. Hopefully, many more donations would be announced in the weeks to come.

The Assembly PRESIDENT also thanked delegations for their pledges and expressions of support.

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