Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

1388 (XIV)

XIV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE

1388. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,¹

Noting with appreciation the progress made in the implementation of the programmes of international assistance carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner,

Noting in particular the progress made, within the framework of the World Refugee Year, as regards the admission of additional numbers of refugees, including handicapped cases, to countries of resettlement, as well as the contribution to the Office of the High Commissioner of additional funds for international assistance to refugees,

Expressing the hope that no additional efforts will be spared for the repatriation of refugees who wish to return to their country of origin,

Expressing the hope also that every effort will be made for the resettlement or integration of refugees,

1. Invites States Members of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies to devote, on the occasion of the World Refugee Year, special attention to the problems of refugees coming within the competence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and in particular to consider the possibility of:

(a) Improving the legal status of refugees living on, or to be admitted to, their territory by, inter alia, acceding to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees;²

(b) Increasing the facilities for permanent refugee solutions through voluntary repatriation and assimilation within new national communities, and, for resettlement of refugees, providing further opportunities through the liberalization of immigration laws and regulations and through the inclusion of refugees in resettlement schemes;

(c) Enabling the High Commissioner, through additional voluntary financial contributions, to implement the programmes of international assistance to refugees approved by the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme for 1959 and 1960;

2. Authorizes the High Commissioner, in respect of refugees who do not come within the competence of the United Nations, to use his good offices in the transmission of contributions designed to provide assistance to these refugees.

841st plenary meeting,
20 November 1959.

1 Official Records of the General Assembly, Fourteenth Session, Supplement No. 11 (A/4104/Rev.1) and Supplement No. 11A (A/4l04/Rev.1/Add.1).

2 United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons, Final Act and Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (United Nations publication, Sales No.: 1951. IV.4), p. 11.