Searching for the Next High Commissioner

Refugee Rights News
Volume 2, Issue 1
May 2005

Ruud Lubbers, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, resigned on February 20, 2005 amid allegations of sexual harassment. The next High Commissioner will be embarking on a challenging journey to guide UNHCR through critical times. The number of refugees and asylum seekers reaching safety is decreasing as states have passed restrictive asylum policies keeping asylum seekers from their borders. The next High Commissioner will need to show vision and commitment to ensure that UNHCR remains relevant and committed to its core purpose of protecting refugees. In addition, the UNHCR will need to further define its engagement with other groups, particularly internally-displaced persons.

The task of appointing Lubbers’ successor falls to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Annan has announced that he is seeking someone with a thorough knowledge of refugee issues and unimpeachable personal and professional integrity. The next Commissioner must have proven skills in managing a complex organization and, of course, be a strong champion of the causes of refugees.

When Mr. Lubbers was appointed in 2000, his candidacy surprised many refugee advocates who had been watching the process. There was little consultation, despite pressure from civil society groups who wished to have a say in the process. In contrast, this time around Mr. Annan invited input from civil society groups as well as governments.

The UN has now released a short list of eight candidates, which has increased transparency of the process. The list includes:

• Emma Bonino of Italy, Member of the European Parliament;
• Hans Dahlgren of Sweden, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs;
• Gareth Evans of Australia, President and Chief Executive of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group;
• Antonio Guterres of Portugal, former Prime Minister;
• Soren Jessen-Peterson of Denmark, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo and head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission there;
• Bernard Koucher of France, former Minister of Health and Mr. Annan’s Special Representative for Kosovo;
• Kamel Morjane of Tunisia, the Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees; and
• Mark Verwilghen of Belgium, Minister of Economy, Energy, Foreign Trade and Scientific Politics.

It is interesting to note that two of the candidates have substantial experience in the NGO sector. Gareth Evans heads the International Crisis Group and Bernard Koucher is the former head of Médecins Sans Frontières. The publication of the short list has also given civil society an opportunity to engage with the candidates. The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), which has been calling for greater involvement in the selection process by refugees and other persons of concerns to UNHCR, has tried to give the candidates a forum to express their concerns. ICVA invited each of them to describe their qualifications for the position and to express their views on the future of the organization.

The answers provide valuable insight into what the candidates see as the key challenges facing UNHCR from maintain relevance to balancing protection of refugees with other UNHCR activities to addressing sexual abuse scandals in the field. The special issue “UNHCR Candidates Talk Back” is available online, as is a supplemental edition (including additional responses from Antonio Guterres and Mark Verwilghen).

Selection of new commissioner should be announced later this year. Until then Ms. Wendy Chamberlain will continue as acting High Commissioner. Ms. Chamberlain has been with UNHCR since 2004, following a long career in the US foreign service.

This article was contributed by Eva Nudd, a Masters Candidate at Seton Hall University.