REFUGEES: Thirtieth anniversary of OAU convention

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the OAU Convention on Refugees with an appeal on behalf of the eight million people forced from their homes in Africa. OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim and High Commissioner Sadako Ogata noted in a joint statement that Africa accounted for four million refugees and as many people displaced within their countries by human rights abuses, civil war and other conflicts. They urged African nations "to create conditions conducive to the respect of refugee-protection norms". While there were still many flash points on the continent, they said, it was heartening to see that thousands of refugees had already returned home in countries such as Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique and South Africa. The Convention took effect on 20 June 1974 after being adopted by OAU leaders on 10 September 1969.