LUSAKA – A top official from the UN refugee agency has expressed concern that European donors have started withdrawing funding for refugee programmes in Zambia.
Laura Lo-Castro, UNHCR Representative in Zambia said on Wednesday in Lusaka, that it was unfortunate that the Western donors have started closing their doors on their assistance to refugee programmes.
She said such move would have negative repercussions, because the Western countries are going in the wrong direction by withdrawing their support.
Lo-Castro said the situation has made it difficult for the UNHCR to implement some programmes, adding inadequate funding had hampered the implementation of some refugee programmes.
She said presently the agency has 6 million dollars but needed 21 million dollars to implement various programmes this year.
“We would like to do more but we do not have funds. We would like to get into partnership so that we can do more,” she said.
Lo-Castro said UNHCR, in collaboration with the Zambian government, was implementing various programmes, including an integration of former Angolan and Rwandan refugees into Zambian communities.
She said unfortunately more than 12,000 Angolan refugees have refused to return back to their country while 4,000 Rwandans have also refused to go back.
Lo-Castro said as a result of the refusal the refugees would therefore be reintegrated in Zambian communities. (Xinhua/NAN)