Geneva  - A combination of major new conflicts and unresolved ones around the world are
increasingly straining humanitarian resources at unprecedented levels, the head
of the United Nations refugee agency warned today. 

“Already in 2011, as crisis after crisis unfolded, more than 800,000 people
crossed borders in search of refuge – an average of more than 2,000 refugees
every day. And this was higher than at any time in the last decade,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees
António Guterres, at the opening of the annual meeting of the agency’s (UNHCR)
Executive Committee in Geneva. 

Mr. Guterres said UNHCR’s capacity to help the world’s forcibly displaced was
being “radically tested” by the acceleration of the crises, with more than
700,000 people having fled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
Mali, Sudan and Syria this year alone.  

“We are at a moment when the demands on us are rising while the means available
to respond have remained at a similar level to last year. Our operations in
Africa, in particular, are dramatically underfunded,” Mr. Guterres said. “At
this moment, we have no room for any unforeseen needs. No reserves available. In
today’s unpredictable operating environment, this is a cause for deep concern.” 

Mr. Guterres praised the countries that have kept their borders open to people
fleeing conflict, and thanked donors for continuing to provide generous support
during a period of global economic strain. However, he warned that the costs of
helping the world’s more than 42 million forcibly displaced were escalating
fast, with protracted large-scale displacement situations continuing in places
like Afghanistan and Somalia. 

UNHCR is putting in place new measures to improve its efficiency, Mr. Guterres
said, such as cutting back on non-essential procurement and tightening control
on replenishment of aid stockpiles. In addition, the agency, which relies on
voluntary contributions, is seeking increased funding from non-traditional
sources, including the private sector, as well as partnerships with civil
society organizations. 

In addition to finding political solutions, humanitarian actors should also help
improve the prospects for peace including through advocacy, education and other
activities to facilitate self-reliance among refugee populations, Mr. Guterres
said. 

Currently made up of 87 members, UNHCR’s Executive Committee meets in Geneva
annually to review and approve the agency’s programmes and budget, advise on
international protection and discuss a wide range of other issues with UNHCR and
its intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. 

Mr. Guterres also called on States to bring an end to statelessness within the
next decade. “We live in dangerous times, in an unpredictable world. More and
more people are forced to flee in search of refuge,” he said. “I urge all
Executive Committee members to renew their collective commitment to addressing
their plight, and that of all those who find themselves uprooted from their
homes and communities, as the crises of today and tomorrow continue to unfold.” 

The meeting of the Executive Committee runs through 5 October