UN refugee chief to visit Tajikistan next week

The United Nations refugee chief heads to Tajikistan next week for a three-day visit to the Central Asian country, which is home to more than 1,700 refugees and asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan.

António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is expected to meet the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and key Government ministers for discussions on the national asylum system, the integration of about 1,000 Afghans who have lived in Tajikistan for up to 20 years, and closer cooperation between the UN agency and the Government.

UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters today that Mr. Guterres will also participate in the opening of vocational training projects set up at a refugee training centre in Dushanbe, the capital.

In 1993 Tajikistan became the first country in Central Asia to accede to both the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, and it was also the first country in the region to adopt national legislation on refugees.

The High Commissioner visited Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan late last year and Mr. Redmond said he also plans to travel to Turkmenistan soon.

Before arriving in Dushanbe on Monday, Mr. Guterres is scheduled to attend an Arab League summit in Damascus, Syria, over the weekend.