1998 has seen the outbreak of several fresh conflicts which have generated new refugee flows. Sierra Leoneans are now Africa's biggest refugee population, numbering 440,000 in Guinea and Liberia. The outbreak of open conflict in Kosovo forced more than a quarter of a million people to flee their homes. The High Commissioner called on governments to renew their commitment to asylum as the cornerstone of refugee protection. Promoting respect for human rights values and creating conditions which make it possible for refugees to return home cannot be done by humanitarian agencies alone.
Humanitarian action can save lives, but it can never be a substitute for political action.