United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency has commended communities surrounding Dzaleka Refugee Camp for supporting refugees saying the communities demonstrate the shared values and principles of compassion and humanity.
This comes as Malawi is commemorating Refugee Day which falls on 20 June every year.
This year, the day is being commemorated under the theme of “Everyone Can Make a Difference, Every Action Counts.”
UNHCR Representative Fatima Mohammed-Cole said in a press statement released on Friday that the theme means that anyone can make the difference regardless of their origin and that every action counts.
Muhammed-Cole added that on the Refugee Day the organization honours the resilience and courage of more than 79.5 million people who have been forced to free wars, persecution and violence across the world.
“As of 31 May, UNHCR Malawi had registered 45,097 refugees and asylum seekers. More than half of the refugee population fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the remaining population originating from Burundi, Rwanda and others from East and North of African countries,” she explained.
On the issue of COVID-19 pandemic, she said government through the Ministry of Homeland Security and other implementing partners spearheaded the construction of a state of the art quarantine site at Dzaleka refugees camp which is used for suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
She then commended government for working in collaboration with the organisation in supporting the refugees.
She also asked people in the country to work with the organization in finding lasting solutions to help the refugees and displaced population.
