Conference to be held on repatriation of refugees

Accra, March 5, GNA- A two-day international conference on the re-integration and repatriation of refugees and displaced persons in Africa would be held in Geneva from March 8-9.

The conference, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as the organiser, aims at seeking commitment of African governments, donors and partner agencies to meet the challenges posed by repatriation and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons on the continent.

At a Press briefing in Accra on Friday, to throw light on the Conference, Ms Jane Muigai, Protection Officer of UNHCR, Ghana, noted that the greatest challenge in the programme was how to achieve sustainable return, which was a pre-requisite for national reconciliation from conflicts.

She said the situation had become relevant now, following several peace processes, which had brought renewed hope for the repatriation of an unprecedented number of refugees in Africa, especially those from Liberia, Angola and Sudan.

Ms Muigai disclosed that government ministers and senior officials from countries of origin and asylum would attend the conference, while Ghana would be represented by Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Minister of the Interior, and Niinii Akiwumi, Chairman of the Ghana Refugees Board. She said the meeting was expected to come out with recommendations for the creation of working groups to be formed by countries of origin and asylum, as well as other stakeholders, to mobilise support for voluntary repatriation and reintegration activities in the sub region. She noted that the challenges of building emerging peace processes were formidable in preventing conflicts, and also identifying the root cause of it.

Ms Muigai said that the Ghanaian delegation would also attend another forum by the High Commissioner's Standing Committee from March 9 to 11, which would provide an additional opportunity to engage donor partners, and UNHCR regarding refugee programmes in West Africa, including Ghana.