ExCom Members and Parties to Conventions

The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme (ExCom) meets in Geneva annually to review and approve the agency’s programmes and budget.

This page presents the State members of UNHCR's ExCom and Parties to the Refugee and Statelessness Conventions.

room with people
A film is shown during the 73rd session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme (10-14 October 2022). © UNHCR/Pierre Albouy
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UNHCR is governed by the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In 1958, ECOSOC established the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme (ExCom), pursuant to a resolution of the General Assembly. Its main tasks are to approve the High Commissioner’s programmes, advise the High Commissioner in the exercise of his functions (mainly on protection issues), and oversee the Office’s finances and administration.

ExCom holds an annual session in Geneva every October. The 74th session took place from 9 to 13 October 2023. Meetings of the Executive Committee’s Standing Committee are held at various dates throughout the year to carry on the work between plenary sessions.

ExCom membership is on the widest possible geographical basis from those States (Members of the United Nations) with a demonstrated interest in, and devotion to, the solution of refugee problems. By the end of June 2024, there were 110 ExCom members listed - in blue - in the following table which also shows the States parties to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol of 1967 and to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
 

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Highlights of 2024

  • Guatemala and Ukraine became the 109th and 110th ExCom members.

Highlights of 2023

  • Angola became the 108th ExCom member.

  • The Republic of Congo acceded to Statelessness Conventions on the Status of Stateless Persons and on the Reduction of Statelessness.

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ExCom members (in blue) and other States parties
to the Conventions

Convention
relating to the Status
of Refugees and its
Protocol

Conventions on
the Status of
Stateless Persons and
the Reduction of Statelessness

1951 

1957

1954  

1961

Afghanistan

2005 

 2005

 

 

Albania 

1992  

1992

2003

2003

Algeria

1963

1967

1964

 

Angola

1981

1981

2019

2019

Antigua and Barbuda 1995 1955 1988  
Argentina 1961 1967 1972 2014
Armenia 1993 1993 1994 1994
Australia 1954 1973 1973 1973
Austria 1954 1973 2008 1972
Azerbaijan 1993 1993 1996 1996
Bahamas (the) 1993 1993    
Bangladesh        
Barbados     1972  
Belarus 2001 2001    
Belgium 1953 1969 1960 2014
Belize 1990 1990 2006 2015
Benin 1962 1970 2011 2011
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 1982 1982 1983 1983
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1993 1993 1993 1996
Botswana 1969 1969 1969  
Brazil 1960 1972 1996 2007
Bulgaria 1993 1993 2012 2012
Burkina Faso 1980 1980 2012 2017
Burundi 1963 1971    
Cabo Verde   1987    
Cambodia 1992 1992    
Cameroon 1961 1967    
Canada 1969 1969   1978
Central African Republic (the) 1962 1967    
Chad 1981 1981 1999 1999
Chile 1972 1972 2018 2018
China 1982 1982    
Colombia 1961 1980 2019 2014
Congo 1962 1970 2023 2023
Costa Rica 1978 1978 1977 1977
Côte d’Ivoire 1961 1970 2013 2013
Croatia 1992 1992 1992 2011
Cyprus 1963 1968    
Czechia 1993 1993 2004 2001
Democratic Republic of the Congo 1965 1975    
Denmark 1952 1968 1956 1977
Djibouti 1977 1977    
Dominica 1994 1994    
Dominican Republic 1978 1978    
Ecuador 1955 1969 1970 2012
Egypt 1981 1981    
El Salvador 1983 1983 2015  
Equatorial Guinea 1986 1986    
Estonia 1997 1997    
Ethiopia 1969 1969    
Fiji 1972 1972 1972  
Finland 1968 1968 1968 2008
France 1954 1971 1960  
Gabon 1964 1973    
Gambia 1966 1967 2014 2014
Georgia 1999 1999 2011 2014
Germany 1953 1969 1976 1977
Ghana 1963 1968    
Greece 1960 1968 1975  
Guatemala 1983 1983 2000 2001
Guinea 1965 1968 1962 2014
Guinea-Bissau 1976 1976 2016 2016
Haiti 1984 1984 2018  
Holy See 1956 1967    
Honduras 1992 1992 2012 2012
Hungary 1989 1989 2001 2009
Iceland 1955 1968 2021 2021
India        
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 1976 1976    
Ireland 1956 1968 1962 1973
Israel 1954 1968 1958  
Italy 1954 1972 1962 2015
Jamaica 1964 1980   2013
Japan 1981 1982    
Jordan        
Kazakhstan 1999 1999    
Kenya 1966 1981    
Kiribati     1983 1983
Kyrgyzstan 1996 1996    
Latvia 1997 1997 1999 1992
Lebanon        
Lesotho 1981 1981 1974 2004
Liberia 1964 1980 1964 2004
Libya     1989 1989
Liechtenstein 1957 1968 2009 2009
Lithuania 1997 1997 2000 2013
Luxembourg 1953 1971 1960 2017
Madagascar 1967      
Malawi 1987 1987 2009  
Mali 1973 1973 2016 2016
Malta 1971 1971 2019  
Mauritania 1987 1987    
Mexico 2000 2000 2000  
Monaco 1954 2010    
Montenegro 2006 2006 2006 2013
Morocco 1956 1971    
Mozambique 1983 1989 2014 1024
Namibia 1995 1995    
Nauru 2011 2011    
Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 1956 1968 1962 1985
New Zeland 1960 1973   2006
Nicaragua 1980 1980 2013 2013
Niger 1961 1970 2014 1985
Nigeria 1967 1968 2011 2011
North Macedonia 1994 1994 1994 2020
Norway 1953 1967 1956 1971
Pakistan        
Panama 1978 1978 2011 2011
Papua New Guinea 1986 1986    
Paraguay 1970 1970 2014 2012
Peru 1964 1983 2014 2014
Philippines 1981 1981 2011 2022
Poland 1991 1991    
Portugal 1960 1976 2012 2012
Republic of Korea 1992 1992 1962  
Republic of Moldova 2002 2002 2012 2012
Romania 1991 1991 2006 2006
Russian Federation 1993 1993    
Rwanda 1980 1980 2006 2006
Saint Kitts and Nevis 2002      
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1993 2003 1999  
Samoa 1988 1994    
Sao Tome and Principe 1978 1978    
Senegal 1963 1967 2005 2005
Serbia 2001 2001 2001 2011
Seychelles 1980 1980    
Sierra Leone 1981 1981 2016 2016
Slovakia 1993 1993 2000 2000
Slovenia 1992 1992 1992  
Solomon Islands 1995 1995    
Somalia 1978 1978    
South Africa 1996 1996    
South Sudan 2018 2018    
Spain 1978 1978 1997 2018
Sudan 1974 1974    
Suriname 1978 1978    
Swaziland 2000 1969 1999 1999
Sweden 1954 1967 1965 1969
Switzerland 1955 1968 1972  
Tajikistan 1993 1993    
Thailand        
Timor-Leste 2003 2003    
Togo 1962 1969 2021 2021
Trinidad and Tobago 2000 2000 1966  
Tunisia 1957 1968 1969 2000
Türkiye 1962 1968 2015  
Turkmenistan 1998 1998 2011 2012
Tuvalu 1986 1986    
Uganda 1976 1976 1965  
Ukraine 2002 2002 2013 2013
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1954 1968 1959 1966
United Republic of Tanzania 1964 1968    
United States of America   1968    
Uruguay 1970 1970 2004 2001
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)   1986    
Yemen 1980 1980    
Zambia 1969 1969 1974  
Zimbabwe 1981 1981 1998  
Total Parties 146 147 97 79

 

For more details about the composition of the Executive Committee between October 2023 and October 2024 click here.