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The 63rd session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ended
The 63rd session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held in Geneva, on October 1-5, 2012, completed its work.
The head of the delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov, Chief of the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, III rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev, Division chief of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan Gurban Sadigov, chair of Social Development Fund of IDPs Ayaz Orujov and others participated at the session attended by 87 member states.
Opening the session United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres spoke about issues on agenda, delivered a speech on activities carried out after the last session and the forthcoming tasks. Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme Ms. Ertharin Cousin’s speech was listened before general debate. Later on, heads of the delegations representing member states made speeches.
At the session representatives of several states (Canada, Turkey, Algeria, Sudan, Djibouti, Portugal, Pakistan, Moldova, Costa-Rica, Ethiopia, Tanzania, etc.) expressed their satisfaction with seeing Azerbaijan among the members of the Executive Committee of UNHCR and celebrated the delegation of our country on this occasion.
Delivering a speech at the meeting Deputy Prime minister Ali Hasanov gave broad information to the participants about occupation of 20 percent of our territory, 1 million refugee and IDP problem as a result of Armenia’s foreign occupation and ethnic cleansing policy, political stability established as a result of purposeful activities of the Great leader Haydar Aliyev and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the creation of favorable opportunity to improve the living conditions of refugees and IDPs as a result of successful economic reforms, large-scale measures implemented by our government for this kind of people, and current needs. Ali Hasanov also brought to notice decisive work in order to have existing legislation harmonized with the highest international standards and finalization of the new migration code in this context.
High Commissioner Antonio Guterres summing up the discussions and expressing his opinion on the issues raised in speeches highly estimated the work done by the Government of Azerbaijan on refugees and IDPs.
Within the framework of the 63rd session of the Executive Committee of UNHCR relevant decisions on program budgets, management, financial control and administrative oversight, as well as revised budget of the Executive Committee for 2012- 2013 were adopted. The meeting ended officially with adoption of the report of the 63rd session of the Executive Committee.
On October 5, Chairperson and Rapporteur of the Executive Committee of UNHCR for the next period were selected. Columbia was elected as the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of UNHCR for the next period and Morocco as Rapporteur.
Within the framework of the official visit to Geneva Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov and Chief of the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, III rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.
The High Commissioner mentioned his visit to Azerbaijan in 2006 and in 2011, remembering his meeting with the President Ilham Aliyev with pleasure expressed his gratitude for high-level reception and hospitality.
Later on, the High Commissioner congratulated Azerbaijan once more for becoming member of the UNHCR Executive Committee, emphasized that the membership will allow Azerbaijan to make constructive contribution to increase of awareness about global refugee needs, as well as to more active participation in making decisions on problems of refugees and IDPs in the world, and expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for its representation in the 63rd session of the Committee with high level delegation.
Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov stated that conveying the President Ilham Aliyev’s greetings to the High Commissioner was honour for him, and noted successful development of effective cooperation with UNHCR acting in Azerbaijan since 1992.
Deputy Prime Minister expressed his warm gratitude to the High Commissioner for letter sent to the government of Azerbaijan on the occasion of being selected a member of the UNHCR Executive Committee and for noting the desire of greeting Azerbaijan in the following plenary session of the Executive Committee as a new member.
Deputy Prime Minister suggested to organize international conference dedicated to refugees, IDPs, persons intending to obtain “refugee” status and migration issues, in Baku in 2013 together with UNHCR.
At the end of the meeting, Guterres was presented, in English, specially prepared documentary film “Homesickness... unquenchable hopes”, handbooks dedicated to the actions carried out in regard to social protection of refugees and IDPs during the period of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and the President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev, improvement of their living conditions, poverty reduction and increasing employment.