The relocation of 10,337 Congolese refugees from Kenani Transit Centre to Mantapala Refugee Settlement in Nchelenge District, Luapula province has now been completed. The relocation to Mantapala Settlement was part of the joint effort of the Government, UNHCR and partners to consolidate the refugee operation and ensure that Congolese arrivals have a permanent home and are able to gradually build their resilience. The relocation of all refugees from Kenani Transit Centre does not mean that it will be closed. According to the Government counterpart, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), its assets – such as buildings - will be fenced to be further used as a transit centre in case of an influx from the DRC. Other important assets and infrastructure such as boreholes, a clinic, community schools, departure and food distribution points, will be continue to be used by the local community.

The Government of Zambia is leading and coordinating the refugee response in order to achieve its commitments towards the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). Under the 2017 Refugee Act, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR), within the Ministry of Home Affairs, is mandated to deal with refugee matters. Thus, in 2018 Zambia adopted the mainstreaming approach, which requires that all line ministries including the Ministries of Agriculture (MoA), Health, Education and Community Services contribute to key sectors under the COR. The coordination of different sectors and partners is managed through interagency meetings at district and country levels. This is further strengthened through sectoral and bilateral interactions with distinct stakeholders. UNHCR is the primary interlocutor and lead Agency for refugee matters among UN agencies. To respond to the ongoing Congolese refugee crisis in a holistic and coordinated manner, the Government of Zambia constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) composed of key line ministries. The IMC is comprised of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Chair), Office of the President, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of General Education, Minister of Luapula Province and the UN (RC and UNHCR). UNHCR works closely with the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (COR) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and other key government line ministries. UNHCR also works in partnership with the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and the international non-governmental organizations (I-NGOs), such as Action Africa Help, Plan International, Caritas Czech Republic, CARE International and World Vision Zambia. Most of INGOs and UN agencies provide community-based protection and basic assistance to refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Mantapala settlement, northern Zambia. The Government of Zambia, UNHCR and partners also provide community-based protection and social support to persons of concern in Lusaka as well as the older refugee settlements of Meheba and Mayukwayukwa, in Western and North Western Provinces. The coordination and management of refugee settlements is led by the Government as per its mandate under the Refugee Act (Act No. 1 of 2017).

Some 257 women and youth owned businesses from Lusaka, Meheba, Mayukwayukwa and Mantapala refugee settlements were supported with business grants to help them recover their small-scale businesses. A total of 5,440 people of concern (PoCs) in the three refugee settlements have undertaken COVID-19 tests since the pandemic began in March 2020. At the end of October 2021, UNHCR submitted 169 cases comprising 643 refugees for resettlement consideration. Most of the resettlement departures were to Nordic countries.

IN FEBRUARY 2022 UNHCR referred 197 refugees for resettlement to Sweden. The Office also facilitated the US Citizenship and Immigration Service and Resettlement Support Center Circuit Rides to process 837 and 392 refugees respectively. 1,080 refugee households (4,377 individuals) from the DRC in Mantapala settlement have expressed intention to return. Some 263 households are ready to return immediately when voluntary repatriation will reassume. A total of 9,701 (M:4,264; F:5437) out patient department (OPD) consultations were made in urban areas and in the three refugee settlements with 22% (2,095) being members of the host community.

Some 9,189 additional refugees were registered in Zambia (2,777 asylum-seekers, 2,060 births and 4,352 in-situ) between 1 January and 31 August 2022. Some 75 per cent are from the Democratic Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1,087 refugee files were submitted to resettlement countries from 1 January to 31 August 2022. 756 refugees were resettlement to USA, Sweden and Finland. A total of 17,800 learners enrolled in early childhood education , primary and secondary schools in Zambia’s three refugee settlements. Over 250 refugee students are enrolled in different universities in Zambia.

UNHCR and its education partner Caritas Czech Republic (CCR) completed the enrolment of 200 (males 123 and females 77) refugees at Cavendish University Zambia (CUZ) under the UNHCR/CUZ scholarships.

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.

To date, a total of 3,053 Congolese refugees (1,078 households) have been relocated to Mantapala Refugee Settlement from Kenani Transit Centre. The most recent convoy was on Saturday 7 April 2018, with 303 individuals. The Government, through COR, has been leading the relocation exercises since they began earlier this year. As of now, all pregnant women and the chronically ill are not allowed to relocate due to the limited health services available in Mantapala Refugee Settlement and the harsh terrains that have to be crossed to get to the settlement. The poor state of the road between Nchelenge and Mantapala Refugee Settlement continues to be of concern to all stakeholders.

Operational UPDATE July 2021 Highlights A total of 38 beneficiaries (8 Zambians, 23 refugees and 7 former refugees) in Meheba refugee settlement received training in Systems of Rice Intensification. A total of 13,332 refugees received non-medical face masks in the three refugee settlements during the month of July. 107 urban residency permits (white cards) were issued on the following grounds: family unity 66, medical 16, investor’s permit 4, employment permit 13 and security permit 8. KEY INDICATORS 767 448 newly arrived asylum-seekers, 136 in-situ and 183 births were registered in July 2021. 16,011 Total of refugees and asylum-seekers reached with COVID-19 related messaging since March 2020? 49,852 Refugees and others of concern country-wide have so far received non-medical face masks since the COVID-19 pandemic was first recorded in March 2020.

387 new asylum-seekers arrived in August, bringing the total number of new arrivals between 1 January and 31 August 2021 to 4,225, 75% are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).