News
Integrate refugees into the host state, East African leaders told
Posted Monday, October 26 2009 at 00:00
Tanzania has 1,270 refugees outside the country (mainly those who fled violence in Zanzibar), 321,090 in the country (mainly from Burundi) and zero IDPs. Rwanda has 72,530 outside, 55,062 in the country and zero IDPs.
The UNHCR says it is unable to solve the refugee problem on its own, given that it does not have the mandate to deal with IDPs, whose protection is the responsibility of the host country.
But through its cluster approach. UNHCR assists governments to take care of IDPs and end situations of displacement.
The organisation has helped repatriate over 50,000 refugees to Burundi, and over 100,000 to the southern Sudan region.
According to the 2006 statistics, the total number of people uprooted worldwide stood at 42 million.
Today, Africa hosts 10.5 million displaced people.
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