Operations

Operational context and population trends

By the end of 2014, the country continued to face numerous social difficulties and significant economic challenges, including an over-extended financial sector, high public expenditures, and an underperforming mining, manufacturing and agricultural sector. In mid-March 2015, the Government announced the failure of up to 30% of the national food crops due to flooding and drought.

In 2015, progress to address the question of refugee status for some 2,000 rejected Congolese asylum-seekers from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was achieved.

As of 31 December, 2014:

• Zimbabwe hosted 9,170 people of concern (refugees, asylum-seekers and other people of concern), which represents a slight increase from the end of 2013
• Around 86% of the people of concern reside in Tongogara refugee camp , while the rest are urban-based
• 79% originate from the DRC, 9% from Burundi, and 8% from Rwanda
• The average monthly influx of asylum-seekers remains stable, between 100 and 150 people per month. The ongoing conflict in eastern DRC continues to be the main driver of asylum-seekers into Zimbabwe
• There are no official statistics on the number of stateless people or people at risk of statelessness in Zimbabwe; however, as of 2010 it was estimated that between 20 to 30 % of the farm workers in Zimbabwe are of foreign descent (approximately 300,000 and 600,000 individuals).

Key priorities in 2016

• Strengthening the asylum regime and enhancing the capacity of the Government to independently manage refugee status determination (RSD), allowing gradual phase-out for UNHCR
• Searching for appropriate durable solutions for various refugee groups
• Improving documentation, including birth registration
• Reducing protection risks faced by people of concern, specifically refugee children
• Identifying people in need of international protection through regular border monitoring and visits to detention facilities, in the context of mixed migratory flows through Zimbabwe
• Remodelling camps into settlement that provide more opportunities for self-reliance
• Closing major gaps in the provision of adequate housing and infrastructure of schools to fully meet enrolment needs, improve quality of education and reduce drop-out rates
• Provide regular supplies of domestic fuel, including lighting in public spaces and household, in order to mitigate protection risks.