Attachments
The Government of Angola announced 31 December 2017 as the new deadline for the relocation of refugees from Cacanda centre to Lóvua settlement.
The emergency shelter design was reviewed and upgraded in line with the new deadline to relocate refugees from Cacanda reception centre to Lóvua settlement.
410 smart solar LED streetlamps will be installed in Lóvua settlement, decreasing protection risks such as SGBV.
KEY FIGURES
75% of Congolese refugees from Kasai in Angola are women and children
34,556 Biometrically registered Congolese refugees in Lunda Norte Province. 26,756 refugees currently have active status to receive food assistance.
50,000 Inter-agency planning figure for Congolese refugees from the Kasai region in northern Angola by the end of the year
Operational Context
The outbreak of violence in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in March 2017 triggered the internal displacement of some 1.4 million persons and the flight of over 34,000 refugees into Lunda Norte Province, Angola. Refugees have reported generalized violence, mass killings, mutilations, burning of property, destruction of villages, schools and churches, rape of women and girls and human rights abuses, as well as food shortage and the lack of access to basic services and goods. The Emergency Relief Coordinator declared an IASC System-Wide L3 Emergency Response for DRC focusing on the Kasai region, Tanganyika and South Kivu provinces, and effective 20 October for a period of six months.
The DRC-Angola border, a main artery for trade between the two countries, continues to be closed to trade and commerce despite the Government of Angola (GoA) open door policy to welcome Congolese nationals fleeing as a result of the conflict. As the situation remains volatile in the Kasai region, humanitarian agencies in Angola have developed a response plan to assist an influx of 50,000 refugees by end December. The interagency humanitarian response for the Congolese refugees covers the areas of protection, emergency shelter, food security and nutrition, non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene, health, including mental health, and education until the end of 2017.
The relocation of refugees from Cacanda reception centre to the new settlement of Lóvua started on 8 August. Since then, 3,556 Congolese refugees from Mussungue and Cacanda reception centres relocated to the settlement in Lóvua, which has a total capacity for approximately 30,000 refugees. This settlement is expected to respond to the needs of all refugees living in Lunda Norte Province, and, if required, it has the capacity to accommodate the 2017 year-end planning figure of 50,000 people.
The central Government and the Provincial Government of Lunda Norte, announced a new deadline to relocate refugees from Cacanda reception centre to Lóvua settlement. The Angolan authorities expect all refugees residing in that centre to transfer by 31 December, 2017, and those who are living with the local communities to move by 31 March 2018.