The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday said it is working to relocate thousands of Central African refugees to safe locations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In a statement, the agency said it will relocate refugees from Central African Republic who are currently in dangerous conditions to remote border areas of the DRC.
At least 100,000 people have been displaced within the country by recent violence. Another 107,000 fled to neighboring countries – Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of Congo – according to the UNHCR.
Congolese authorities estimate that 92,000 refugees have arrived from the Central African Republic after election-linked violence erupted in December.
Fighting between a coalition of non-state armed groups and government forces continued over the past two months, plunging the country into a new cycle of violence.
The statement said the UNHCR and DRC’s National Refugee Commission (CNR) “will prepare four relocation sites for some 35,000 refugees to live alongside local communities and grow their own crops, attend local schools, and benefit from other services that serve their Congolese hosts. Settling refugees in local communities will allow them to live with greater dignity and independence.”
“Most Central African refugees are now living along riverbanks in hard-to-reach border areas, among host communities with extremely limited resources.
“Conditions are dire, with many refugees sleeping in makeshift shelters. Most have little to no access to drinking water, sanitation, or food. Some have been welcomed by host families, sometimes with up to three refugee families living in a single home,” the statement said.
-AA
Central Africa
Ebola vaccination begins in DRC after two deaths
The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun vaccinating its citizens against ebola after two deaths w...
Southern Africa
South Africa’s Ramaphosa pledges improved conditions after May day incident
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to improve conditions for the middle and poor cl...
Economy
Central African Republic adopts bitcoin as legal tender
The Central African Republic has adopted bitcoin as its official currency alongside the CFA franc. T...
East Africa
Somalia elects speaker, paves way for presidential vote
Somalia's parliament elected a veteran politician as speaker of the lower house in a drawn-out proce...
West Africa
Mali's junta breaks off from defence accords with France
Mali's ruling junta announced on Monday it was breaking off from its defence accords with former col...
Mining
Norilsk Nickel held public event about new projects in Russia, Finland
The world’s largest producer of nickel and copper, Russian Norilsk Nickel held various public even...
North Africa
Tunisian opposition announces new alliance
A veteran left-wing Tunisian politician announced the creation a new alliance aimed at restoring con...
Business
Africa's first Covid vaccine plant risks closure after no orders
Africa's first Covid-19 vaccination plant risks shutting down after receiving not a single order, a ...
Opinion
South Africa stares at an acute housing crisis following recent floods
South Africa is staring at an acute housing crisis, especially in the two provinces where deadly flo...