The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has asked the Malawi Government to rescind its decision of relocating refugees living in rural and urban centres across the country to Dzaleka Refugees Camp.
This is according to a UNHCR press statement which says the decision will have disastrous consequences on many refugees’ lives residing across the country.
UNHCR says while it appreciates the leniency exercised by the government regarding the previous relocation deadline for refugees in rural (30 November 2022) and urban areas (01 February 2023), there is need for authorities to reconsider its decision.
The agency says it is sad that the refugees living in rural and urban areas are expected to return to the already congested Dzaleka camp, which presently accommodates nearly 50,000 people from the recommended 12,000 refugees.
The agency through its representative in Malawi Cyr Modeste Kouame says relocating several thousand refugees back to the camp will have dire consequences on the provision of critical basic services such as health and education, as well as protection activities.
“The relocation means that children will have to leave their schools, and for breadwinners to abandon their employment or small businesses and return to a camp where they will be dependent on humanitarian assistance,” says Kouame.
Kouame in the statement adds that UNHCR is also very concerned about the extremely tight deadline given for the relocation of all refugees back to Dzaleka camp which is now 01 – 15 April 2023.
According to the agency, relocating self-sufficient and productive refugees and asylum-seekers to Dzaleka camp would only exacerbate the problems the already overcrowded camp is facing and at a time when underfunding is already impacting current service provision to refugees and asylum seekers in Malawi.
“UNHCR once again appeals to the Government of Malawi to allow refugee families to remain in rural or urban settings where they can continue their education, be employed, and operate their small businesses. UNHCR appreciates the Government of Malawi’s efforts to ensure the protection, safety and security of all refugees and asylum-seekers,” reads the statement in apart.
The refugees agency further reported that as of 28 March 2023, it had only received 6 percent of the USD 27.2 million required to adequately support refugees and asylum-seekers in Malawi this year and this has crippled its ability to meet the protection, assistance and livelihood needs of the people it serves.
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