IN a move to honor the strength and resilience of refugees and displaced people around the world, Zimbabwe will on June 30, 2023, celebrate World Refugee Camp at Tongora Refugee Camp in Chipinge, Manicaland Province
By Ntokozo Gudu
The event will be hosted by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and partners. World Refugee Day is commemorated on June 20 each year and this year’s theme is ‘’Hope Away From Home. A world where refugees are always included.’’
In a press statement, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Professor Paul Mavhima said Zimbabwe recognized the tenacity and resilence of over 16000 refugees and asylum seekers domiciled in the country.
We wish to assure them of the Government of Zimbabwe’s commitment towards the realization of the inclusive agenda of ‘’leaving no one and no place behind’’ shown in education, health ,food and nutrition security, information, communication and technology, self-reliance, sport, and cultural programmes among others,’’said Professor Mavima.
‘’As a progressive member of the community of nations, Zimbabwe affirms its international obligations towards refugee protection in line with the cardinal principles and values enshrined in the international, continental and national policy framework. The Government also re-affirms its commitment to advance the humanitarian-development nexus in order to harness the demographic dividend within the refugee poplation towards their transformation,’’ he added.
He also noted the efforts of the Second Republic in transforming the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Manicaland Province.
“The Second Republic wishes to assure partners and refugees that the government will continue to put in place robust policy and administrative measures to transform Tongogara Refugee Camp in line with Vision 2030,towards an Upper Middle-Income Economy,’’
‘’The attendees at the celebration in Tongogara on June 30 will visit some projects in the camp supporting refugees and the host community’s self reliance ,namely the ew irrigation scheme and the new green and safe market.During the tour there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for a new housing project in the camp and the commissioning and handover of the new infant classroom block.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’s (UNHCR) mandate is to protect refugees worldwide and to find sustainable solutions to their plight, it works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country.
The UNHCR Representative in Zimbabwe, Ahmed Baba Fall, stated that,’’including refugees in the communities where they have found safety is the most effective way to enable them to rebuild their lives and contribute to local economies and the countries hosting them.’’
In collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and partners and with donors’ support ,UNHCR is providing livelihood opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers and the communities hosting them in the country. UNHCR works to empower refugees to achieve self-reliance in terms of food security and household incomes,and to build their capacity to be more productive.
Zimbabwe hosts over 23 000 refugees and asylum seekers.Most of them reside at Tongogara Refugee Camp.Approximately 74% of the refugees and asylum seekers registered by UNHCR are from Democratic Republic Of Congo,while 11% come from Mozambique,6% from Burundi ,5% from Rwanda and 4% from other nationalities.