Refugee Repatriation Workshops
Zambia is home to approximately 260,000 refugees, a total that has been rising steadily over the past few years. The vast majority of the refugees in Zambia are Angolans who have been fleeing their home country's civil war since 1975. Because of the ceasefire signed between the Government of Angola and the rebel group, UNITA, many Angolan refugees have been voluntarily repatriating themselves back to their home country.
Attendees at an Angolan Refugee Repatriation Workshop in Zambezi.
The Refugee Repatriation Workshops provided a place to share experiences and information on the repatriation process and helped build the capacity of Zambian missions, parishes and communities located on the Angolan border to handle refugees.
Our Accomplishments To Date
Catholic Relief Services' Refugee Repatriation Workshops provided information about the peace process in Angola and about communities' experiences with the voluntary repatriation of Angolan refugees. The workshops presented repatriation experiences, durable solutions for the peace process in Angola and information on the repatriation process in Zambia.
The workshops were held in the Western and Northwestern Provinces. Participants included traditional leaders, government workers, health and educational staff, and police and immigration officers. Many issues were clarified regarding the rights of refugees and what will take place when the official repatriation process commences.
Background of the Project
The workshops were initiated in order to provide information regarding the status of the agreement between UNHCR, the Zambian government and the Angolan government. Together with Jesuit Refugee Services, CRS implemented these workshops as part of its commitment to building Justice and Peace.
