The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Leyla Kayacik, represented the Council of Europe at the 73rd session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme in Geneva. As this year was marked by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, she commended the generosity shown by member states hosting the unprecedented number of refugees fleeing the war. In her speech, she highlighted Council of Europe´s work in this context and in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable people in the context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).

She also informed about her reports of the fact-finding visits to Slovakia, the Czech Republic, to Poland and to the Republic of Moldova that have been published. “With the UNHCR, we are jointly organising follow-up activities in the countries visited, aiming at protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable persons. The European Convention on Human Rights together with the Geneva Convention constitute the basis for our work”, she said.

In the margins of the session, the Special Representative met the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi and the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino. She also met Peggy Hicks, Director, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and with the Head of UN Women Geneva Liaison Office, Adriana Quiñones.

On the first day of the session, the Special Representative attended the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award ceremony. The Special Representative is one of the members of the Nansen Award Selection Committee.