The 63rd session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees held in Geneva

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.