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UNHCR’s Deputy European Chief in Visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

	3/8/2010 Mr. Guillermo Bettocchi, the newly appointed Deputy Director of UNHCR’s Europe Bureau begins a three day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina tomorrow. While in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Bettocchi, who is paying his first visit to the country in his new role, will meet with Safet Halilovic, BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees as well as with the entity ministers for refugees and displaced persons and representatives of the international community. During these meetings, Mr. Bettocchi will discuss measures to end displacement in the country and efforts aimed at finding durable solutions for refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
	Mr. Bettocchi will also undertake a number of field visits to see first hand the conditions in which asylum seekers, refugees, displaced persons and returnees continue to live and will meet with some of them still living in collective centres and other difficult situations. At present, there are approximately 113,000 IDPs still in need of a durable solution, including some 7,000 extremely vulnerable people still residing in collective accommodation, often in appalling conditions. UNHCR has supported the BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees in revising the Strategy for the Implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Agreement which provides the framework for ending the displacement of these people and calls for its adoption and implementation in line with the most recent Peace Implementation Council communiqué. In accordance with UNHCR’s Global Objectives, strengthening the asylum system and international refugee protection are key objectives in BiH. UNHCR also works towards ensuring the protection and integration of asylum seekers and refugees and provides free legal assistance to secure rights. The organization continues to advocate for durable solutions for the 7,000 refugees from Croatia in BiH and assists this group through free legal aid, voluntary repatriation support and economic sustainability and job creation support for those not in a position to return. Another key aspect of UNHCR’s work in BiH is preventing statelessness amongst the Roma population. UNHCR is undertaking a series of projects to register Roma at risk of statelessness and ensure they get the necessary documents to avail of full rights as citizens.

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Although the numbers of people infected by HIV in BiH is low, the threat cannot be assumed away. Positive actions must be taken now if BiH is to avoid the pandemic gripping northeastern Europe.