Skip to main content

Democratic Republic of the Congo Situation: UNHCR Regional Update (November 2018)

Countries
DR Congo
+ 14 more
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date
Origin
View original

As of 30 November 2018, 800,330 Congolese refugees are being hosted in African countries. From 1 January to 30 November 2018 alone, some 154,287 Congolese fled to neighboring countries, with a particularly significant increase in refugee flows to Uganda, Burundi and Zambia.

UNHCR together with 43 humanitarian and development partners launched the revised Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) on 17 July 2018 for $547 million to help respond to the needs of Congolese refugees in Africa.

Regional Highlights and Operational Context

■ A total of 800,330 Congolese refugees and asylum-seekers are being hosted in countries in Africa, which have generously maintained an open door policy in granting asylum to old and new asylum seekers.

■ Contingency planning has been undertaken in connection with the current volatile insecurity and socio-economic situation in the DRC which could witness more outflows of Congolese refugees to neighbouring countries. In the Regional Contingency Plan for the DRC situation, it is estimated that in the event of a major emergency in the country, leading up to the presidential elections, and in the post-election period, over 386,000 new Congolese refugees and asylum seekers could arrive in countries of asylum. Further, it is estimated that some 78,000 refugees currently residing in the DRC might return to their countries of origin.

■ UNHCR received $160 million for the DRC situation, representing 43 per cent of the total requirements for 2018, which amount to $368.7 million.

■ The interagency Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) for the DRC situation received $164 million, representing 30 per cent of the total requirements for 2018, which amount to $547 million