KAMPALA, Uganda

Thousands of Congolese refugees living in Zambia have started their journey back home, UN radio in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported Thursday.

“UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) and the Zambian authorities have started the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees from Mantapala camp in Luapula province to Pweto in Haut-Katanga province in the DRC, as security has improved enough to allow their return to the country,” said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch.

In 2017, violence broke out in the provinces of Haut-Katanga and Tanganyika, in the southeast of the DRC, causing thousands to flee to Zambia. UNHCR said nearly 5,000 refugees fled violence four years ago and have chosen to return voluntarily from Zambia in the coming months.

UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP) have provided buses and trucks to transport the refugees.

The refugees will receive a cash allowance to help them resume their lives in the DRC.

To facilitate the repatriation in times of the coronavirus pandemic, the Zambian government prepared a rapid screening test for refugees at the rural health center in Mantapala, before they start their journey.

UNHCR will disinfect buses, provide masks and hand sanitizers and with authorities, ensure that preventive measures for the virus are followed, including loading buses at half their usual capacities. ​​​​​​​