Central Africa and the Great Lakes

2015 year-end information on the Central Africa and the Great Lakes subregion is presented below. A summary of this can also be downloaded in PDF format. This subregion covers the following countries:
 

Subregion: Central Africa and the Great Lakes

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Latest update of camps and office locations 13  Jan  2016. By clicking on the icons on the map, additional information is displayed.

 
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Budgets and Expenditure in Subregion Central Africa and the Great Lakes

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2015 {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"budget":[400.278583747,397.11091767,503.32381366,699.501085209],"expenditure":[177.86138431,186.81027121,236.15435243,274.23980882]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[253.366748687,239.84552114,307.9703963,505.440937742],"p2":[3.33793253,8.68566536,2.80964228,3.730164264],"p3":[81.6064711,55.78047991,64.77744622,54.587607553],"p4":[61.96743143,92.79925126,127.76632886,135.74237565]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[132.43699158,142.49521679,175.78113489,218.41039125],"p2":[1.3034486,2.14283547,1.29948582,1.06479773],"p3":[14.97260691,18.38606284,22.28936622,17.41356558],"p4":[29.14833722,23.78615611,36.7843655,37.35105426]}
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People of Concern - 2015

[["Refugees",1173389],["Refugee-like situation",15852],["Asylum-seekers",18468],["IDPs",1889161],["Returned IDPs",1014893],["Returned refugees",35237],["Stateless",1302],["Others of concern",187577]]
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Response in 2015    

In April 2015, protest in Burundi, which was sparked by the incumbent President’s contested bid and successful election for a third consecutive term, resulted in violent retaliation by government forces, forcing over 230,000 Burundians to flee to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda,  Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania) and Zambia. 

In the Central African Republic (CAR), the situation remained volatile with sporadic clashes in the capital, Bangui, and rural areas. Renewed violence in September and November reversed return trends, provoking the internal displacement of up to 75,000 people and causing the aggregate number of internally displaced people (IDPs) to reach 451,000. Religious minorities inside the country were regularly targeted, and growing insecurity on the border forced an additional 60,000 people to flee to Cameroon, Chad, the DRC and the Republic of Congo (Congo), bringing the number of refugees in neighbouring countries to 462,000 by the end of the year. In addition to hosting 252,000 refugees from the CAR, Cameroon’s Far North region continued to be affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Cross-border incursions led to the internal displacement of 92,000 people and an influx of an additional 29,000 Nigerian refugees, reaching a total of 68,000 people in 2015. 

Despite ongoing armed conflicts in eastern DRC and increased violence in North Kivu, stakeholders working within the context of the IDP cluster facilitated the relocation of over 736,000 IDPs following the closure of five camps, and updated statistical data, further reducing the total internally displaced population by 457,000 people to1.6 million.in 2015. The ongoing crises in the CAR and Burundi forced an additional 40,000 refugees into the north-west of the DRC (North and South Ubangi and Bas-Uele) and 20,000 refugees into the east (South Kivu), and fighting in South Sudan caused more than 3,800 new South Sudanese to flee to the Haut-Uele province, in the north-east, in December. Over 500,000  refugees from the DRC were hosted in neighbouring countries at the end of 2015, primarily in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Populations of concern

Refugees from Burundi, Nigeria and the CAR
In 2015, UNHCR ensured access to asylum and provided protection and multisectoral assistance to refugees from Burundi and the CAR. The response for Burundians was particularly  informed by the need to preserve the civilian character of asylum and prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Save for arrivals into Zambia, biometric registration was carried out in all countries of asylum. Community-based protection initiatives and education assistance prioritized the protection of children against forced recruitment. Water and sanitation (WASH) and health capacities were scaled up, new camps were opened, and the construction of semi-permanent shelters was accelerated. For refugees from CAR in Cameroon, UNHCR began collaborating with local actors to extend livelihoods, shelter and health interventions to host communities, where 70 percent of the refugee population is settled. Further north, UNHCR prioritized the relocation of Nigerian refugees from dangerous border areas to protect them from refoulement and provide them with assistance in Minawao camp. In Cameroon, Chad and Congo, UNHCR facilitated the participation of CAR refugees in CAR elections which are seen as vital to the creation of conducive conditions for return.
IDPs in the CAR, Cameroon and the DRC
For IDPs in the CAR and in the DRC, UNHCR focused on meeting core relief item, shelter and protection needs, and promoted conflict resolution and human rights awareness activities to work towards peaceful coexistence. Given the effects of the crises on the demographic makeup and the difficulties of returning to areas of origin, resilience and empowerment were key components of the protection strategies in both countries. In the CAR, where there was an absence of state authority and a climate of impunity in some regions, this approach sought to sustain cohesiveness. In Cameroon’s Far North, UNHCR provided support for the coordination of IDP response by designing strategies, collecting data and developing guidance. The Office also provided basic material assistance and shelter. 

Solutions for Burundians, Congolese (DRC), Newly Naturalised Tanzanians and Rwandans
In 2015, UNHCR supported the repatriation of 805 DRC refugees from the CAR. Out of the 3.3 million Rwandans who sought asylum and returned to Rwanda since 1994, UNHCR assisted the return of some 5,000 people in 2015. In Tanzania, the naturalization and local integration programme for over 162,000 Newly Naturalised Tanzanians (former 1972 Burundian refugees) was initiated, and nearly 153,000 new citizens received their citizenship certificates. In Burundi, although more than half of the people whose cases were submitted for resettlement fled from the country due to the crisis, UNHCR met its submission target and resettled over 1,800 individuals. In Rwanda, UNHCR exceeded its target for Congolese (DRC) refugees who have lived in the country for more than two decades, managing to resettle nearly 2,600 through the UNHCR-US resettlement programme. Finally, in July, a resettlement exercise for some 30,000 Congolese (DRC) living Tanzania was launched, while some 2,300 people were resettled during the year. 

Challenges and unmet needs

In 2015, in response to localized violence and cross-border incursions in the region, security measures were tightened, further reducing freedom of movement and shrinking humanitarian space. Preserving the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum proved particularly challenging. Interest in voluntary repatriation remained very low across the region. In some instances, a barrier for the allocation of additional land  to host new Burundian refugees was a concern over the environmental impact of camp development. Host communities’ ability to absorb new arrivals dwindled, and food insecurity soared. 

Operations

Operations in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo (Republic of the), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania are presented in separate country pages.

Gabon
In 2015, the Government of Gabon provided training for staff on international protection and assigned additional staff to the National Refugee Commission (CNR) with a view to strengthening the refugee determination process. UNHCR’s activities prioritized the protection of people with specific needs who require urgent assistance, notably through self-reliance activities; some 680 consultations on refugee rights, as well as referrals and the distribution of material support, were carried out. Furthermore, over 360 children were enrolled in primary school and 120 in secondary school, with the latter provided with school kits. Moreover, eligible candidates benefited from vocational training. In 2015, little progress was made towards developing a comprehensive solutions strategy for Chadian refugees. This will need to be pursued in 2016. 

Operational Environment and Strategy

Many Governments in the Central Africa and Great Lakes subregion have made great strides towards socio-economic development and institutional stability, both at national level, as well as in efforts towards subregional integration. However, this progress has been negatively affected by internal conflict and violence in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria. These situations have had dire humanitarian consequences within the countries concerned, and have also had a significant impact on neighbouring countries.  Instability and violence continue to cause internal and external displacement, hindering humanitarian access and increasing the cost of operations.
 
The operational environment in the region in 2015 will continue to be marked by the situation in the CAR and its impact on neighbouring countries, as well as by the ongoing instability in the eastern DRC and in Nigeria. UNHCR’s planning figures for 2015 estimate that by the end of 2015, there will be some 5.1 million refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people (IDPs) of concern to the Office in the subregion, with assistance being planned for some 3.7 million.
 
In the CAR, the escalation of conflict since December 2013 has left some 930,000 people internally displaced during 2014, while another 135,000 Central Africans have sought refuge in Cameroon, 22,000 in the DRC, 20,000 in Chad and some 10,000 in the Congo. The overall numbers of refugees from CAR in these countries, including old caseloads, now stand at some 427,200. .  The situation in CAR has also forced the flight of tens of thousands of third country nationals, mainly from Chad and Cameroon. the situation of the Chadian nationals in particular has posed a humanitarian problem since most of them had been settled in the CAR for many years and are second or third generation Chadians with few, if any, links to their country of nationality.
 
In the eastern part of the DRC, the security situation still remains volatile and unpredictable, hampering humanitarian activities and preventing the return of some 429,000 DRC refugees currently living mainly in Burundi, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. Over 2.6 million people are internally displaced in the DRC.
 
Following the conflict in the north-east of Nigeria between government forces and non-state actors, UNHCR has so far registered over 36,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon, bringing the total number of refugees in Cameroon to over 278,000. Along the border with Nigeria, there remain high risks of incursions into Cameroon, violence, robbery or kidnapping by Nigerian insurgents operating in the federal States of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. Nigerian refugees have also fled to Niger and Chad.
 
Following the repatriation by June 2014 of some 119,000 of the DRC refugees who had fled from Equateur Province to the Congo in 2009-2010, the Congo still hosts some 23,200 DRC refugees, in addition to over 10,000 new arrivals from the CAR. 
 
Refugees from the DRC are also present in significant numbers in Burundi (57,700) Rwanda (74,000) and in the United Republic of Tanzania (55,400). Smaller groups can also be found across the African continent,, notably in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.
 
The achievements of MONUSCO’s Rapid Intervention Brigade in eastern DRC, resulting in the dismantling of one of the major insurgent groups, have led to more encouraging prospects of stabilization of the security situation.  These operations are to be extended to target other rebel groups and will potentially create conditions for the return of DRC refugees from Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.  The deployment of the MINUSCA force in the CAR is expected to help improve the protection of populations and strengthen national institutions, leading to an eventual presidential election. However the situation remains unpredictable for 2015.
 
Despite this complex context, Governments in the subregion have continued to show a positive attitude towards the institution of asylum and respect for refugee law and principles.
 
While endeavouring to ensure that refugee rights are upheld, particularly those of refugees with specific needs including women, children and the elderly, and providing refugees with life-saving assistance, UNHCR’s strategies for the subregion will continue to focus on the search for durable solutions, primarily voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity, as well as local integration and resettlement.
 
Durable solutions will be sought in particular for DRC refugees in Burundi, the CAR, the Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania; for Angolan refugees in the Congo, and the DRC; for Burundian refugees in Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania; and for Rwandan refugees in Burundi, the Congo and the DRC. The enhanced resettlement of Congolese refugees out of the Great Lakes will continue, as part of a comprehensive solutions strategy in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda: at least 50,000 refugees are targeted for resettlement between 2012 and 2017. In September 2014, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania announced the resumption of the issuance of naturalization certificates to the Newly Naturalized Tanzanians (NNTs) – former Burundian refugees. Following this very welcome development, projects aimed at completing and supporting the local integration of the NNTs will be planned and implemented jointly with the Tanzanian Government to ensure a responsible and orderly phase-out, making sure they can enjoy all rights of citizenship.
 
Returnees from countries of asylum will benefit from UNHCR’s protection monitoring and reintegration support. In the CAR and the DRC, IDPs will be assisted through established cluster mechanisms.
 
UNHCR will also endeavour to prevent statelessness for populations at risk, advocate for the issuance of birth certificates and support civil registration. UNHCR will advocate for further accessions to the 1954 and 1961 Conventions on statelessness and to the Kampala Convention on IDPs. 

Response and Implementation

  • UNHCR’s work to protect refugees in the subregion will include programmes in child protection and efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and exploitation. It will also meet refugees’ basic needs in the area of health care, provide sanitary materials to women, offer basic education to children, develop livelihood and self-reliance opportunities for refugees (particularly as a first step towards local integration) and intensify efforts to search for durable solutions.
 
  • In order to advance the reintegration of Congolese returnees in the DRC, UNHCR will continue to address their basics needs in terms of health, shelter and education, and promote peaceful cohabitation by conducting sensitization programmes in local communities.
 
  • To seek durable solutions for long-staying Angolan and Rwandan refugees and facilitate their voluntary repatriation or local integration, UNHCR will work with the Governments through tripartite commissions.
 
  • The regional resettlement policy for Congolese refugees from the DRC will be implemented, and resettlement will be offered to a limited number of other refugee groups. 
 
  • UNHCR will continue to lead the protection cluster for IDPs, focusing on life-saving activities, including protection monitoring and the prevention of SGBV. IDPs will be provided with basic assistance (particularly shelter) and helped with their return and reintegration.

2015 Budget and Expenditure in Central Africa and the Great Lakes | USD

Operation Pillar 1
Refugee programme
Pillar 2
Stateless programme
Pillar 3
Reintegration projects
Pillar 4
IDP projects
Total
Burundi Budget
Expenditure
18,676,158
14,142,547
189,402
136,169
0
0
14,156,233
1,335,359
33,021,793
15,614,075
Cameroon Budget
Expenditure
107,653,576
45,951,486
843,987
207,295
0
0
6,200,080
4,556,234
114,697,644
50,715,016
Central African Republic Budget
Expenditure
11,204,357
9,493,331
0
0
0
0
40,211,532
18,558,732
51,415,889
28,052,063
Democratic Republic of the Congo Regional Office Budget
Expenditure
91,411,041
57,354,600
2,696,775
721,334
38,546,652
10,269,880
75,174,531
12,900,729
207,828,999
81,246,542
Republic of the Congo Budget
Expenditure
35,341,593
10,261,615
0
0
0
0
0
0
35,341,593
10,261,615
Rwanda Budget
Expenditure
122,417,859
38,962,773
0
0
622,144
517,683
0
0
123,040,003
39,480,457
United Republic of Tanzania Budget
Expenditure
118,736,353
42,244,039
0
0
15,418,811
6,626,003
0
0
134,155,164
48,870,041
Total Budget
Expenditure
505,440,938
218,410,391
3,730,164
1,064,798
54,587,608
17,413,566
135,742,376
37,351,054
699,501,085
274,239,809

2015 Voluntary Contributions to Central Africa and the Great Lakes | USD

Earmarking / Donor Pillar 1
Refugee programme
Pillar 3
Reintegration projects
Pillar 4
IDP projects
All
pillars
Total
Central Africa and the Great Lakes overall
Canada 0001,180,173 1,180,173
Denmark 1,000,000002,631,759 3,631,759
Finland 1,083,424001,096,491 2,179,915
Germany 00010,274,572 10,274,572
Ireland 561,167000 561,167
Luxembourg 0001,501,877 1,501,877
Private donors in Canada 0007,885 7,885
Private donors in Germany 337,458003,511,261 3,848,719
Private donors in Italy 000402 402
Private donors in Kuwait 0008,331 8,331
Private donors in Spain 0002,926 2,926
Private donors in Switzerland 000501 501
Private donors in the United States of America 0002,745 2,745
UNDP 307,128000 307,128
United States of America 460,000000 460,000
Central Africa and the Great Lakes overall subtotal 3,749,1770020,218,923 23,968,100
Burundi
European Union 975,081000 975,081
United States of America 00500,0000 500,000
Burundi subtotal 975,0810500,0000 1,475,081
Cameroon
African Development Bank 1,000,000000 1,000,000
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 2,204,8420967,3920 3,172,234
Denmark 300,000000 300,000
Economic Community of West African States 80,000000 80,000
European Union 2,757,912000 2,757,912
France 1,222,368000 1,222,368
Japan 5,650,000000 5,650,000
Norway 000261,203 261,203
Private donors in Cameroon 49,300000 49,300
Private donors in the United States of America 480,200000 480,200
Sweden 0001,690,103 1,690,103
Switzerland 416,233000 416,233
UNAIDS 50,000000 50,000
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 5,290,6010795,6860 6,086,287
United States of America 00020,200,000 20,200,000
Cameroon subtotal 19,501,45801,763,07722,151,306 43,415,841
Central African Republic
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 00999,9920 999,992
Denmark 50,000000 50,000
European Union 127,5190522,5350 650,054
France 001,000,000200,000 1,200,000
Holy See 003,3620 3,362
Italy 001,645,3490 1,645,349
Japan 1,000,00002,500,000416,945 3,916,945
Norway 000261,203 261,203
Private donors in Australia 0005,258 5,258
Private donors in Canada 5,520000 5,520
Private donors in Germany 164,474000 164,474
Private donors in Japan 32000 32
Private donors in Kuwait 000628 628
Private donors in Switzerland 8500364 449
Republic of Korea 000500,000 500,000
Spain 11,22301,037,3340 1,048,557
Sweden 000596,303 596,303
Switzerland 00520,2910 520,291
UNAIDS 0030,0000 30,000
UNDP 00103,8380 103,838
United States of America 00011,800,000 11,800,000
Central African Republic subtotal 1,358,85308,362,70113,780,700 23,502,254
Democratic Republic of the Congo Regional Office
Canada 227,618000 227,618
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 3,652,73102,700,0010 6,352,732
Democratic Republic of the Congo Pooled Fund 1,140,6500983,1610 2,123,811
European Union 2,185,792000 2,185,792
Germany 01,143,58300 1,143,583
Japan 02,137,9752,862,0250 5,000,000
Private donors in Australia 96,9320311,0970 408,029
Private donors in Canada 95000 95
Private donors in Germany 0001,085,004 1,085,004
Private donors in Italy 128001,280 1,409
Private donors in Japan 0098,0970 98,097
Private donors in Spain 48,933008,151 57,084
Private donors in Sweden 1,402,197000 1,402,197
Private donors in Switzerland 580005 585
Private donors in the Republic of Korea 136,0480013,675 149,723
Spain 226,7120123,4570 350,168
Sweden 0002,633,353 2,633,353
Switzerland 760,870000 760,870
UNAIDS 264,788070,0000 334,788
United Nations Population Fund 50,002000 50,002
United States of America 2,600,0000042,800,000 45,400,000
Democratic Republic of the Congo Regional Office subtotal 12,794,0763,281,5587,147,83846,541,469 69,764,941
Republic of the Congo
European Union 69,156000 69,156
Private donors in Germany 109,649000 109,649
Republic of the Congo subtotal 178,805000 178,805
Rwanda
Belgium 1,124,859000 1,124,859
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 6,623,333000 6,623,333
Delivering as One 0240,00000 240,000
European Union 3,191,937000 3,191,937
Japan 000166,778 166,778
Private donors in Germany 319,460000 319,460
Private donors in Qatar 208,482000 208,482
Private donors in the United States of America 470,706000 470,706
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4,678,658000 4,678,658
United States of America 17,340,581007,800,000 25,140,581
Rwanda subtotal 33,958,017240,00007,966,778 42,164,795
United Republic of Tanzania
Belgium 1,124,859000 1,124,859
Canada 1,669,196000 1,669,196
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 2,894,879000 2,894,879
Delivering as One 311,661000 311,661
Denmark 500,000000 500,000
European Union 3,202,388000 3,202,388
Italy 407,609000 407,609
Japan 00083,389 83,389
Private donors in Japan 419,155143,06000 562,215
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 14,021,9524,702,19400 18,724,146
United States of America 14,300,000000 14,300,000
United Republic of Tanzania subtotal 38,851,6994,845,254083,389 43,780,343
Total 111,367,1658,366,81317,773,617110,742,564 248,250,159
Note: Includes indirect support costs that are recovered from contributions to Pillars 3 and 4, supplementary budgets and the “New or additional activities – mandate-related” (NAM) Reserve.