voluntary repatriation for Angolan refugees in South Africa
10 May 2006
The Department of Home Affairs and the United Nations (UN) refugee agency
will tomorrow, 11 May 2006, officially launch the Voluntary Repatriation for
Angolan refugees.
The programmeâs objectives are to assist South African based Angolan
refugees to return home. There are more than 14 000 Angolan refugees living in
various parts of South Africa.
Most of the estimated 460 000 Angolans who fled their country during 27
years of war, plus millions more displaced inside Angola, have gone home since
a 2002 memorandum of understanding between the government of Angola and the
Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA) rebel movement
opened the way for reconstruction and reconciliation.
The majority of nearly 100 000 still outside the borders are in Zambia and
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs, Mzuvukile Maqetuka,
UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative, Abel Mbilinyi and senior officials from
the Angolan government will address the event.
Details are as follows:
Date: Thursday, 11 May 2006
Time: 09h30 to 11h00
Venue: Holiday Inn, corner of Church and Beatrix Street (Pretoria)
Enquiries:
Nkosana Sibuyi
Head of Communication
Cell: 082 88 66 708
E-mail: Nkosana.sibuyi@dha.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
10 May 2006
Source: Department of Home Affairs (http://www.dha.gov.za/)
