DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO INITIAL OBJECTIVES other non-signatories to the agreement, created an alliance for the continuation of · Support the Government in the dialogue. In spite of the progressive establishment of the National Eligibility implementation of the cease-fire agreement, Commission, and to carry out conflicts continue to flare up regularly in registration exercises of accessible various parts in DRC, but in particular in refugees. north eastern DRC and in the Kivus. · Provide international protection and Volatility and insecurity continue to humanitarian assistance to refugees from characterise the working environment in Angola, Burundi, the Central African DRC, and conditions for voluntary Republic (CAR), the Republic of the repatriation of 380,000 Congolese, mainly Congo (RoC), Rwanda, Sudan and from neighbouring countries, remain Uganda, and urban refugees of different adverse. nationalities in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma and Bukavu. The unexpected end of the prolonged war in · Promote self-reliance activities and Angola, in February 2002, was followed by reinforce local settlement initiatives for a cease-fire agreement, signed on 4 April, existing refugees with a gradual phase- which triggered spontaneous return out of UNHCR’s assistance. Continue to movements, especially from the Bas-Congo provide basic humanitarian assistance to Province and the Kisenge region. By the end new arrivals. of June, 6,330 refugees had spontaneously · Organise and facilitate the safe return of left these areas for Angola. At present, refugees in the Democratic Republic of UNHCR offices in the Provinces of Bas- the Congo (DRC) when the situation in Congo, Bandundu and Katanga are their respective countries of origin registering Angolans willing to repatriate. permits. UNHCR, with its partners, is providing · Conditions permitting, promote and support as far as possible to spontaneously facilitate the return and reintegration of returning Angolans, while preparing for refugees in the neighbouring countries to more organised returns on a larger scale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2003. MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS, The eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano, in PROGRESS ACHIEVED, AND the Province of North Kivu, in January, CONSTRAINTS caused a two-month discontinuation of activities of UN and international agencies During the reporting period, additional steps operating in Goma. UNHCR transferred its were taken towards the implementation of national and international staff temporarily the Lusaka cease-fire agreement. The Inter- to Bukavu and Nairobi. On the positive side, Congolese Dialogue was eventually held this eruption brought renewed international between February and April and resulted in media and donor attention to this calamitous the signing of an agreement uniting 70 per region. cent of the country. It is noteworthy that the Rassemblement Congolais pour la In April 2002, the renewed conflict between Démocratie (RCD) – Goma remains outside Government forces and the military group of the agreement and has, together with ("Ninjas") in the Republic of the Congo UNHCR Mid-Year Progress Report 2002 - 55 caused Congolese to seek refuge mainly in respect of illicit taxation at the border, Luozi in the Province of Bas-Congo. excessive visa requirements and the voluntariness of the repatriation. The At June 2002, UNHCR assisted some Angolan refugees have very limited 176,190 refugees out of a total of 347,060 in resources as the last harvest was generally DRC. During the first half of 2002, UNHCR poor. This came at a bad time as a was providing humanitarian assistance to WFP/UNHCR joint food assessment Angolan refugees in the provinces of mission, undertaken in April, recommended Katanga, Bas-Congo, and in Bandundu. In to substantially diminish food assistance in response to the political changes in Angola, anticipation of improved self-sufficiency. UNHCR is shifting its focus of activities towards the monitoring and facilitation of While the vast majority of refugees from return movements, and is presently RoC have repatriated, a group of some reviewing its existing tri-partite repatriation 1,800, mainly former public servants, remain agreements. In parallel, recent in Kimaza camp (Bas-Congo) for fear of confrontations between the Angolan persecution upon their return. The re- Government forces and opposition factions emerging conflict in the Pool region caused in the Province of Cabinda have caused a new displacements inside the country and number of new arrivals in the district of into DRC territory. Following the reports of Matadi, Bas-Congo Province. local authorities that some 2,229 Congolese recently arrived in the Province of Bas- UNHCR's self-sufficiency strategy has Congo, UNHCR deployed missions to the progressively borne fruit. Through area to assess the needs and provide interventions with the local authorities, 900 assistance to them. ha of agricultural land has been assigned to beneficiaries in Kilueka (Bas-Congo). To UNHCR successfully negotiated with the improve accessibility to the refugees, three local authorities an allocation of 80 ha bridges were constructed and one cultivable land for the local settlement of the rehabilitated in Kimvula. In addition, one refugees. 380 cuttings of manioc, 1.2 MT of health centre was constructed and another is soja and 3 MT of peanut seeds were under construction. UNHCR successfully distributed to the refugees. In light of the introduced a cost-recovery system in lieu of previously anticipated repatriation of the free medical assistance for the remaining refugees and the closure of the camp, WFP Angolans (Bamako initiative). To support planned to stop its food assistance at the end the self-sufficiency activities, bean, soja, of July 2002. The bad condition of the road corn and various vegetable seeds as well as leading to Kimaza camp further constituted a manioc cuttings were distributed. handicap for the delivery of assistance. As in earlier years, operations were 42,920 out of a total of 75,430 Sudanese hampered by abysmal road conditions and refugees were assisted with agricultural and bridges. This results in rapid deterioration of income-generating activities with the aim UNHCR’s vehicles and those of its that they would achieve self-sufficiency. implementing partners. In addition, the Newly arrived refugees in Doruma were scarcity of spare parts on the local market, provided with basic non-food items. 137 km coupled with the high prices and the large of roads and three bridges as well as 14 amount of time needed to import such goods wells were rehabilitated to assure access to lead to long delays in maintenance and potable water. Seven medical centres upkeep of vehicle fleets. This also hampers provide health assistance to refugees and the spontaneous return movement. Due to three health structures were constructed. A lack of resources (staffing, vehicles, block of six classrooms was built in Dungu equipment) there was inadequate monitoring area. During the reporting period, 3,538 of return movements and follow-up in children were enrolled in primary school (41 UNHCR Mid-Year Progress Report 2002 - 56 per cent girls), and 299 adolescents (14 per As UNHCR has no direct access to these cent girls) pursued secondary education. 792 refugees, activities continue to focus on refugees, among them 539 women, benefited repatriation. During the first half of 2002, from micro projects. 37 unaccompanied some 4,390 Rwandans were assisted with minors were identified and registered for voluntary repatriation. Prior to their foster care arrangements and further family departure, the refugees received food, tracing. UNHCR repatriated 69 Sudanese essential medical care, and non-food items, refugees, mainly merchants from northern such as blankets and clothes, and then they Sudan who were trapped by the resurgence were transported to the border. Of the of the war in southern Sudan. repatriates, 185 were unaccompanied minors who were reunified with their families in Following the re-formation of rebel Rwanda. In order to upgrade the repatriation movements in control of the area of Boga facilities, UNHCR constructed two new (Province Oriental), UNHCR gained access repatriation assembly points and one transit to and was able to register 3,990 Ugandan center and rehabilitated 11 existing assembly refugees and provide assistance to them. points. Two main access roads were also However, UNHCR still has no access to rehabilitated in Bukavu. some 10,000 Ugandan refugees in Beni due to security concerns. The area is “Hostage taking" of refugees by combatant characterised by low representation of other forces and "parallel" repatriation carried out international agencies and organisations. by Rwandan military drive the refugees The overall security situation has been further away from assembly points. The exacerbated by the presence of several rebel non-accessibility of the refugees makes it groups operating separately in the area. difficult for the Office to discharge its international protection responsibility. Security problems also prevents UNHCR Persistent insecurity in certain areas, mainly from being in a position to assist an in Shabunda, did not allow UNHCR to open estimated 19,000 Burundian refugees a site to receive refugees willing to repatriate dispersed throughout the two Kivu from the area. This had been planned for in Provinces. UNHCR assisted about 300 2002. There are also difficulties in locating, prima facie refugees previously registered in identifying and registering