Kigali, Windhoek and UN agency sign refugee pact

The governments of Rwanda and Malawi as well as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed a tripartite agreement on Thursday on the voluntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees in Namibia. The signatories pledged to support the repatriation that is scheduled to begin in early 2004. The UNHCR said there are some 620 refugees living in camps and others who have settle elsewhere in Namibia. During the signing of the agreement in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the parties outlined and assigned each other roles and responsibilities to ensure the success of the process. The Namibian government was mandated to ensure that the refugees were well informed about the security situation in Rwanda to enable them decide whether or not to repatriate. On its part, the government of Rwanda would ensure that the refugees returned home in safety and dignity, and that it would sensitise the local populations of the areas in which the returnees would settle. "UNHCR will facilitate the return by providing support for travel as well as initial settlement," the agency reported in a statement issued after the signing of the agreement. In addition, the agency would provide protection to refugees in Namibia who may not wish to return, in accordance with international conventions on refugees and the relevant Namibian immigration laws. The parties announced that an information campaign would be launched soon to inform the refugees in Namibia about the choices they have. The Rwandan government has signed similar agreements with the governments of the Malawai, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Another two agreements are envisaged before the end of 2003.