United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Gutteres has heaped praises on South Africa’s migration policy and recent government decision to document Zimbabweans living in the country.
High Commissioner Gutteres was responding to South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s report to the 61st Session of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee meeting which began deliberations on Monday in Switzerland.
Minister Dlamini Zuma had on Monday, 4 October outlined to the UNHCR efforts of the South African government to review its migration policy with a view to separating economic migrants from genuine asylum seekers while presenting a progress report on current efforts to document Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
“ I want to express my deepest appreciation forthe migration and asylum policy of South Africa. South Africa, has always had, since the end of apartheid, an extremely open policy in relation to migration and in relation to asylum,” said Gutteres.
“Refugees have found protection and support in South Africa and this has been an extremely important instrument for protection to exist in Africa and for the international community to be able to help people that live in the most vulnerable situations,” continued Gutteres
“ I want more recently to underline the generous policy of regularisation of the Zimbabweans living in South Africa, a policy that is allowing so many Zimbabweans to find new opportunities in South Africa. That has contributed in a very important way not only to alleviate their plight but to create conditions for the stability to be re-established in Zimbabwe," concluded Gutteres.
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