New York - Angola proposed the enlargement of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, during the third commission of the UN General Assembly.
The draft resolution A/C.3/77/L.37 adopted by acclamation on Friday, allows for the enlargement of the Executive Committee from 107 to 108 members.
The document will be submitted to the General Assembly for approval next December.
Angola, as a State Party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, attaches particular importance to the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Available data show that, currently, close to 30,000 refugees and 16,000 asylum seekers are controlled in Angola.
In total, there are refugee citizens of more than 18 nationalities in the country, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guinea, Mali and Eritrea.
According to Ambassador João Gimolieca, Angola presented the draft Resolution in item 57 of the agenda, concerning the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Issues related to refugees and displaced persons and humanitarian issues, based on its experience on managing the refugees and internally displaced people, acquired over more than 30 years of internal armed conflict and in welcoming of refugees from various countries.
“The draft resolution recommends to the General Assembly the enlargement of the Executive Committee from 107 to 108 States and requests the Economic and Social Council to elect Angola as 108th member. Angola's experience and commitment to refugee issues will increase contributions to the Executive Committee,” he said.
João Gimolieca said that Angola recognises the efforts of Member States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other interested parties, aimed at improving the situation of refugees and displaced persons in host communities, in view of the growing number in various parts of the world.
According to the diplomat, Angola also recognises the needs of vulnerable groups, in particular women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, among refugees and displaced people, including the risks and dangers to which they are exposed.
Angola, he said, urges States and all interested parties to collaborate towards the common objective of full implementation of the Pact, in order to achieve all of its four goals in an equitable manner and based on the principle of burden and responsibility sharing.
He stated that Angolan legislation concerning refugees and asylum seekers is based on the principle of the 1951 Convention, existing international law, human rights norms and treaties.
