UNHCR: Former Yugoslavia (Hansard, 23 June 1999)

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is the internationally designated lead agency responsible for co-ordinating the humanitarian response in the current crisis. We have worked since the beginning to try to support and improve its efforts. This support includes airlifts, truck convoys and provision of key personnel. The Government recognise that UNHCR will need more resources to carry out the tasks required of it. We are exploring with UNHCR what further help we can provide.

§ The Earl of Sandwich
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that encouraging statement of confidence in UNHCR which, apart from its work in Kosovo, has to support 22 million people around the world. Can the noble Baroness explain why British contributions to UNHCR seem to have fallen rather drastically from 1996 to 1998, from 53 million down to 28 million? Why do Her Majesty's Government prefer to make contributions in Kosovo in kind rather than in cash? Is this because they agree with the rather harsh verdict of the Select Committee on International Development that UNHCR failed to provide effective co-ordination or to prepare adequately for the present crisis in Kosovo?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I listened carefully to the figures which the noble Earl mentioned. The figures that I have show a fall from about 36 million to 25 million. I shall check those figures with the noble Earl. We have allocated £5.37 million to UNHCR in the form of in-kind contributions to deal with the immediate Kosovo crisis. There have been criticisms of UNHCR, particularly by the Select Committee but also by Oxfam. 918 UNHCR recognises that it did not perform well, particularly in the early stages of the crisis. The UK Government's position has always been clear; namely, that UNHCR is the lead agency in charge and we have offered it whatever support we can to ensure that it works effectively in the region. We want to work with UNHCR to improve and increase its effectiveness. That is one of the matters we have considered in the context of our strategy to examine UN institutions overall. In the longer term, clearly we shall be able to learn from the way in which UNHCR has managed the current crisis, but it is our view that with support it can take this matter forward. We intend to give it every support.

§ Lord Geddes
My Lords, can the noble Baroness advise the House to what extent the UNHCR is responsible for medical aid and medical services in Kosovo? I declare an interest in that my wife's daughter, my stepdaughter, is a qualified British GP, presently serving as a volunteer with an organisation called MERLIN, Medical Emergency Relief International, in Albania. She has just been either "hijacked" or seconded to the UNHCR, which is desperately short of qualified doctors. Can the Minister comment on the general situation?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, a range of organisations, NGOs included, are working with the UNHCR in trying to deal with the variety of issues which have arisen in Kosovo. One of the ways in which we in international development have assisted the UNHCR is by flying in key personnel. It is no surprise that there is a shortage of qualified doctors and so on, given the scale of the humanitarian crisis within the region. The UNHCR is the organisation taking lead responsibility for co-ordinating the refugee effort. In addition, a number of NGOs and other international organisations are operating in the region.

§ Lord Taylor of Gryfe
My Lords, has the Minister any idea of the amount of aid that will be required to relieve distress in this case? Has any progress been made with the allies who fought in the war with regard to their responsibility for the necessary reconstruction? Is there any agreement between the European Union, the United States and the other countries involved in the war with regard to their contributions to the relief of the suffering in that country?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, there are ongoing discussions about the scale of the reconstruction effort that will be required in the region. It is far too early to tell how much will be required or how that effort is to be allocated among the different countries and financial institutions which will participate in the reconstruction.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, bearing in mind the severe criticisms by the Select Committee in another place of the UNHCR in the lead-up to these operations in Kosovo, is there any specific action that we can take; 919 for example, seconding management expertise to the UNHCR to remedy the deficiencies which have been identified?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I do not want to take up the time of the House by going into some of the specific proposals we have made. I mentioned earlier that we have published an institutional strategy paper which will be the framework for our work with UN organisations, including the UNHCR. I shall be happy to send the noble Lord a copy of that report. We have been giving the UNHCR as much support as possible, not only in terms of airlifts and convoys, but also in terms of access to the expertise and knowledge that exists within DfID, which has had to manage some of these crises in the past. It has been a relationship that has worked well in terms of ensuring that the efforts put into trying to resolve some of the difficulties are taken on board by the UNHCR.

§ Lord Glenamara
My Lords, in this conflict we have gone to enormous trouble and colossal expense to protect a Moslem minority from a so-called "Christian" majority. As far as I am aware, the voice of Islam has been completely silent; we have heard nothing from Moslem countries. Would it not be reasonable to expect countries such as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states to make a major contribution to the refugee problem?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, such discussions have been ongoing. The UAE has been contributing. My noble friend's concerns are not justified.