Highlights
UNHCR continued to closely monitor the developing situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Malawi.
Efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV)were intensified through awareness-raising campaigns.
Efforts towards durable solutions continued, in particular for resettlement and voluntary repatriation.
Regional Context: Key Developments
▪ Return to camp in Malawi: The Government of Malawi moved forward with preparations for the implementation of the encampment directive issued on 27 March 2023 ordering all refugees and asylumseekers living in urban and rural areas to return voluntarily to the camp by 15 April 2023 or face enforced relocation. UNHCR is monitoring the situation and continues to appeal to government officials for the directive to be suspended. If enforced, the order will have innumerable negative repercussions for refugees, especially given the congestion of Dzaleka camp, which is home to five times the amount of people it was built to accommodate. The order also raises concerns about refugee health and well-being due to the cholera outbreak that is affecting multiple districts in Malawi. Some 74 people have returned to Dzaleka camp since the first return order in 2022, 30 of whom arrived between 15 April 2023 and the end of the month.
▪ Ongoing insecurity in the DRC: In April, the situation in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu continued to deteriorate. Recurring attacks by armed groups have led to the internal displacement of 6.2 million people and forced 1.3 million to seek safety in neighbouring countries. Hundreds of thousands of IDPs are living in spontaneous displacement sites, where a lack of adequate infrastructure and sanitation has put families at risk of measles and cholera and made them vulnerable to the monsoons. Similarly, those living in official IDP sites are struggling with the lack of shelter, which affects their personal security and dignity. UNHCR continues to scale up its site management, shelter, and protection activities, but much more is needed to reach all those in need.
▪ Major disease outbreaks: Infectious diseases continued to challenge many countries in the Southern Africa region in April. Of particular concern are cholera and measles, which have achieved the status of outbreaks in the DRC and Zimbabwe (cholera), in Angola and the Republic of the Congo (measles), and in Malawi (cholera and measles). Other countries in southern Africa, such as Mozambique and Zambia, have also reported a worrying number of cases of both diseases. UNHCR is providing emergency medicines, medical supplies, and health workers to affected countries in efforts to prevent and respond to the outbreaks, particularly in refugee-hosting areas and settlements.
▪ Advancements with the 1951 Convention Related to the Status of Refugees in Comoros and Madagascar: In April, the Government of Madagascar formally requested UNHCR’s support in developing a national asylum legislation, which presents an opportunity for the incorporation of the 1951 Convention into domestic law. Similarly, the Government of Comoros has expressed interest in ratifying the 1951 Convention, and UNHCR is working closely with authorities to facilitate the process.