A/AC.96/1154 I. Introduction A. Opening of the session 1. The Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme held its sixtysixth plenary session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, from 5-9 October 2015. It was opened by the Chairperson, Ambassador Pedro Comissário (Mozambique). B. Representation 2. The following members of the Committee were represented at the session: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Yemen and Zambia. 3. The Governments of the following States were present as observers: Albania, Angola, Bahamas, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, the Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Iraq, Kuwait, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. 4. The European Union was represented as an observer. 5. Also present were the following intergovernmental organizations and other entities: African Union, Economic Community of Central African States, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, International Organization for Migration, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 6. The United Nations system was represented as follows: Food and Agriculture Organization, International Telecommunication Union, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, United Nations Children’s Fund, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Population Fund, World Bank Group and World Health Organization. 7. Some 40 non-governmental organizations were in attendance. 3