Repatriations on track - UNHCR

At least 25,000 Angolan refugees have been returned to their home country since the start of the voluntary repatriation programme run by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The returns have been organised by UNHCR in cooperation with the governments of Angola and countries of asylum. "Returns from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue to lead with nearly 14,000 Angolans returning to date, followed by Zambia at close to 10,000 and Namibia with almost 2,000," a UNHCR statement said. UNHCR said it was planning to increase the pace of returns over the next month in advance of the rainy season in October/November. "The first movements to Madimba and Buela communes in Zaire province [in the northwest] - to which nearly 3,000 refugees in DRC have expressed a desire to return - are expected to take place next week. In anticipation of these arrivals, UNHCR is working with partners to quickly improve basic health and education services in the communities. Meanwhile, in [southern] Cuando Cubango province, repatriation to the towns of Calai and Cuangar on the Namibian border is planned to start in late September," the organisation said. The refugees would return to Angola by crossing the Cubango river by boat, UNHCR added. The organisation estimates that about 75,000 Angolan refugees will be assisted to return home this year under the voluntary repatriation operation. "UNHCR's total budget for the operation is US $29.5 million in 2003. To date, UNHCR has received US $20 million from various donors, including the United States, Japan, Germany, the European Union, Denmark and Sweden," the agency noted. It was currently making arrangements for the return of more refugees to the eastern Moxico province and northwest Uige provinces, bordering Zambia and the DRC respectively.