Refugees fleeing Somali civil war receive grants, training, and market access to become entrepreneurs: A new program that trains refugees, displaced by the Somali civil war, to become entrepreneurs and start their own small businesses has launched within the Kobe, Hilaweyn, and Melkadida refugee camps in Ethiopia. Village Enterprise, the nonprofit seeking to end extreme poverty in rural Africa through entrepreneurship, innovation, and collective action, is expanding its DREAMS for Refugees program following success in refugee settlements in Uganda. DREAMS (Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems) for Refugees is a partnership that merges Village Enterprise’s poverty graduation program with Mercy Corps’ expertise in market systems development to equip refugees with the skills, resources, and market-linkages to start sustainable businesses and graduate from extreme poverty. DREAMS has been operating in Uganda since 2022, and the expansion to Ethiopia is supported by donations from the IKEA Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

A total of 10,851 individuals (2,922 families) voluntarily repatriated to the Democratic Republic of Congo between December 2021, when the first phase of the repatriation began and January 2023. The 3rd Phase of the Congolese repatriation is planned to commence in October 2023. Between 1 January and 30 September 2023, a total of 9,931 individuals were registered in the database. These comprised birth registrations, new arrivals and in-situ registrations. Of the 9,931, some 4,901 were new arrivals, with the majority from the DRC. From 1 January to 30 September 2023, some 2,409 individuals have cumulatively been submitted to various resettlement countries for resettlement consideration. 750 individuals have departed on resettlement so far this year to different countries. KEY INDICATORS 2,015 refugees were submitted to the USA as of 30 September 2023. 673 individuals departed on resettlement to various countries between 1 January and 30 September 2023. 67,197 individuals received treatment and care from the 10 settlement health facilities from 1 January to 30 September 2023. 13,096 are enrolled in schools across the three refugee settlements in Zambia, with 13% being from the host community. MAIN ACTIVITIES UNHCR and its partners support the Government to provide legal and community-based protection and social support. These interventions reached 19,817 persons in Lusaka and other urban areas, 39,838 people in the Meheba refugee settlement and 24,252 persons in the Mayukwayukwa refugee settlement in the North-Western and Western Provinces, respectively, and 8,138 persons in Mantapala settlement in Luapula Province are supported. Financial Information Contributions for the Zambia refugee operation (in US$) Total UNHCR financial requirements in 2023 for Zambia amount to US$ 25.5 million. Total recorded contributions for the UNHCR operation in Zambia as of 30 September 2023 amount to US$7,554,129 (70% funding gap). UNHCR is grateful to all donors for their continuous support. UNHCR is also grateful for unearmarked contributions made at the global level, which allow UNHCR critical flexibility to reach people in the greatest need and at the greatest risk.

The African Development Bank hosted the Africa Resilience Forum in Abidjan, advocating for “peace and security in Africa to be a goal of investment decisions” and urging closer collaboration between governments, civil society and private sector. The AfDB signed an MoU with Interpeace, to jointly promote “peace positive” economic and social development.

From 1 January to 31 August 2023, some 1,552 individuals have cumulatively been submitted to various resettlement countries for resettlement consideration. 673 individuals have departed on resettlement so far this year to different countries. 1,552 refugees were submitted to various countries for resettlement consideration between 1 January and 31 August 2023. 58,531 individuals received treatment and care from the 10-settlement health facilities from 1 January to 31 August 2023. 13,096 are enrolled in schools across the three refugee settlements in Zambia, with 13% being from the host community. MAIN ACTIVITIES UNHCR and partners support the Government to provide legal and community-based protection and social support. These interventions reach 19,299 persons in Lusaka, 39,499 people in Meheba refugee settlement and 23,906 persons in Mayukwayukwa refugee settlement, in the North-Western and Western Provinces, respectively, and 7,943 persons in Mantapala settlement in Luapula Province are supported.

Today, UNHCR and 64 partner organisations have published a revised inter-agency Sudan Emergency Regional Refugee Response Plan - May to December 2023 (Revised August 2023) appealing for USD 1 billion to provide essential aid and protection to over 1.8 million people expected to arrive in five neighbouring countries by the end of 2023, fleeing ongoing conflict in Sudan. There is also a 2-page summary: Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan – May-December 2023 (Revised August 2023) – At a Glance - https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/103175

RefugePoint Unveils New Five-Year Strategy: RefugePoint’s 2023-2027 Case for Support outlines their five-year strategy and plan to transform refugee response. Central to the strategy is the collective reimagining of what refugee response looks like in partnership with refugees themselves, so that their voices, strengths, and needs guide the strategy. Read more here: https://www.refugepoint.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2023/08/RefugePoint-2023-2027-Strategy.pdf

During the month of June, 38 cases comprising 183 individuals were submitted to various resettlement countries such as the USA (97), Finland (20), Australia (32) & Canada (26), Norway (8) for resettlement consideration. 6,232 individuals (new births, new arrivals and in-situ) were registered by UNHCR between January and end of end of June 2023. In June, as part of UNHCR’s distribution of Quarter Two (April, May and June) cash-based intervention (CBI) disbursement, 2,109 refugees (1,159 females and 950 males) received a total of $189,510 in multi-purpose cash support.

The World Bank – Toolkit to Support Countries After Natural Disasters: On 22/06, the WB announced a comprehensive toolkit to support countries after natural disasters. At the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, Ajay Banga announced an expanded toolkit for crisis preparedness, response and recovery that includes: 1) pausing debt repayments; 2) redirecting financing; 3) linking crisis preparedness and financing; 4) backstopping development projects with private sector support, and 5) building enhanced catastrophe insurance without debt. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/ycy62h3v

UGANDA – Extended Credit Facility: On 21/06, the IMF Executive Board concluded the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility arrangement with Uganda. This completion enables the immediate disbursement of approximately $120 million. reforms focus on creating fiscal space for priority social spending, preserving debt sustainability, strengthening governance and reducing corruption and enhancing the monetary and financial sector frameworks. read more here: https://tinyurl.com/2fv2rve8

Amahoro Fellowship Program: As we celebrate World Refugee Day, we are excited to launch the Amahoro Fellowship Program. The 12-month program will give Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) leaders a platform to cultivate and disseminate their ideas on the world stage, expand their networks, seize numerous professional opportunities, and unite as a collaborative and impactful Cohort. Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in a competitive funding process where they can secure up to $100,000 to scale their growth. The Fellows will be a powerful group of change agents, using their voices, skills, expertise, and innovations in business, government, and development institutions to create sustainable solutions in Africa and globally. More information is available here: https://amahorocoalition.com/