The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), yesterday, signed an agreement with 11 partners in Rwanda, including the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) for the first phase of 2016 refugee response.

The agreement was signed at UNHCR offices in Kigali.

The contribution, worth Rwf8 billion, will support over 147,000 refugees living in six refugee camps across the country.

The UNHCR Country Representative, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs and NGO directors participated in the signing ceremony.

Saber Azam, the UNHCR country representative, said the agreement will ensure fast and effective response to refugees in Rwanda.

"I am pleased to announce that UNHCR has signed its initial agreements with 11 partners, who will make key contributions to the protection of and assistance to Congolese refugees as well as Burundians.

As we continue to fundraise on behalf of refugees during the course of the year, we hope to increase the funding in the near future,” Azam said.

In 2015, the refugee commission contributed a total of $34.9 million (about Rwf26 billion) to the refugee response in Rwanda, including disbursements to six partners for implementation of different projects.

Interventions of UNHCR and its partners were complemented by critical contributions of sister UN agencies who support the humanitarian response for refugees in Rwanda.

Besides a timely response to the Burundi refugee emergency, the contribution catered for protection and multi-sectoral assistance to more than 74,000 Congolese refugees in five camps on top of other amenities like food, fire, water and sanitation.

This year, the total starting budget is $15.4 million (excluding staffing and administrative costs).

Non-beneficiary refugees

However, Antoine Ruvebana, the permanent secretary at MIDIMAR, said Burundian refugees in urban areas will not benefit from the funding.

"If a family came and decided to stay in town, this is because they knew that they are self-reliant. This budget is to support those in refugee camps,” he said.

UNHCR promised to ensure basic humanitarian standards for Burundian refugees, as well as for more than 74,000 Congolese refugees.

"For both of these groups of refugees, it is critical to transition from emergency facilities and standards to more durable conditions of life, while continuing to meet their protection and basic needs,” Ruvebana said.

Besides, UNHCR will also prioritise in 2016 the identification of solutions for nearly 35,000 Congolese who have lived as refugees in Rwanda for nearly two decades. It is time for these refugees to be mainstreamed into national development programmes, Azam explained.

UNHCR further affirmed that it would strengthen its engagement with the One UN and other development partners to seek improved self-reliance and socioeconomic integration outcomes since refugees cannot safely return to their country of origin in the foreseeable future.

Although refugees in Rwanda are already able to access national education and health services because of the generous government policy of inclusiveness in these areas, it is costly to build schools and health clinics in remote areas.

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