The 73rd session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Program, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 10 to 14th October 2022, was attended by representatives from more than 150 countries.

Among which the representative of the Republic of Seychelles, Jean Pierre Latour, on the right side of the photo, with Filippo Grandi, the 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Filippo Grandi was first elected by the UN General Assembly on 1 January 2016 for a five-year term. The last General Assembly of the United Nations has extended his term until 31 December 2025.

The 73rd Session of ExCom was opened by High Commissioner’s statement, in which he has identified eight strategic objectives for targeted action over the next 4 years:

 • First strategic objective: to ensure respect for the right to seek and enjoy international protection, for it remains at the core of our mandate at the UN Refugee Agency;

• Second strategic objective: to strengthen accountability to the people we serve, especially women and children

• Third strategic objective: to reinforce efforts to strengthen gender-based violence prevention, risk mitigation and responses, and we know that, in conflict, women are disproportionately exposed to deep-rooted discrimination, and are highly vulnerable to gender-based violence, to sexual violence and trafficking.

• Fourth strategic objective: resettlement places and complementary pathways to protection, access to livelihoods and employment through labour mobility programmes for refugees.

• Fifth strategic objective: to mainstream UNHCR’s work with development partners, including from the start of a protection crisis.

• Sixth strategic objective: protection and solutions for those people who have been internally displaced.

• Seventh strategic objective: to redouble efforts on statelessness, and we are all delighted that so many of you have mentioned statelessness in your opening remarks.

• Eighth strategic objective: to mitigate the impacts of the climate change.

Watch the entire High Commissioner’s statement:

On Friday the 14th of October 2022, after 4 days of general debate and side meetings, the assembly voted on the budget and other matters and appointed the new bureau of the 74th session starting today.