Support for refugees

NDAMA NAKASHOLEA total of N$13.2 million has been allocated in 2018/19 financial year to the administration of refugees programme under the home affairs ministry.The programme coordinates, facilitates and promotes local integration, voluntary repatriation and resettlement.Motivating his ministry's combined (operational and development) N$609.3 million budget in April, minister Frans Kapofi said that Namibia was host to 7 684 refugees, the majority of them at the Osire refugee camp. Kapofi said the number of asylum seekers and refugees was increasing and the majority of refugees were from the Democratic Republic of Congo.In 2015, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shut down its operations in Namibia after 23 years, saying that the government was now able to deal with the refugees.ZERO DEVELOPMENTPart of the ministry's N$609.3 million budget for the current financial year is a N$164 million allocation for development projects.Of that money, nothing goes towards the establishment of an asylum seekers protection centre.The asylum seekers protection centre project within the ministry received allocations of N$432 000 and N$1 million during the previous two years. The government plans to allocate a further N$500 000 during the next financial year. No allocations are planned towards this N$5.3 million project in 2020/21.REFUGEES ADMINISTRATIONIn 2012 the government approved the local integration of 2 400 former Angolan refugees into Namibian society. As a result, 170 households were issued with Permanent Residence Permits (PRPs) while passports for the remaining 306 households are still to be received from the Angolan embassy in Windhoek for the ministry to endorse the PRPs in their passports. Kapofi said consultative meetings were being held with regional governors and officials to inform them of the number of former refugees who had opted for local integration in their regions. According to him, 20 Namibian refugees from the Dukwe refugee camp in Botswana were repatriated and integrated with their families in Namibia. The remaining number of Namibian refugees at Dukwe stands at 916.“The government of Namibia is committed to the principle of voluntary repatriation as a core durable solution; hence we are working together with the government of the republic of Botswana and UNHCR to ensure their return back home in a dignified manner,” the minister said.He said consultations on a tripartite commission on this matter were at an advanced stage.“During 2018/19 financial year the refugees administration will continue strengthening its human capacity to render quality services to refugees,” he said.Management of the Osire settlement and reception centre will be strengthened and printing and delivery of travel documents for refugees will be expedited, according to the minister.The local integration of former Angolan refugees would be completed during the second and third quarters, he said.GLOBAL SUPPORTOn World Refugee Day, held every year on 20 June, the United Nations (UN) commemorates the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. This year, World Refugee Day also marks a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee, according to the UN.

Support for refugees

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Support for refugees

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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