Refugees: Accra Peace Agreement
Implementations
Refugees – 2003
Refugee repatriation efforts were not carried out in 2003. However, after heavy fighting between government and rebel forces occurred in the city, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) did help relocate thousands of refugees and IDPs from irregular shelters in Monrovia to refugee and IDP camps. Nevertheless, necessary mechanisms were in place for the repatriation process.[fn]”Secretary General’s Report to the UN Security Council,” United Nations (S/2003/1175), December 15, 2003. [/efn_note]
Refugees – 2004
Much of the refugee and IDP repatriation that occurred from 2004 on was assisted by the UNHCR. As the security situation within Liberia improved in the last quarter of 2004, the UNHCR began to facilitate voluntary repatriation. 16,000 individuals were repatriated with UNHCR assistance. All individuals aided by the UNHCR received a basic return package including blankets, mosquito nets, lanterns, plastic mats, plastic sheets, buckets, jerry cans, kitchen sets, soap, and travel bags. The World Food Program (WFP) also provided returnees with 4 months of basic food rations. The food rations were given out in two installments – one upon immediate arrival and one after two months. In addition, 7,500 refugees and IDP families with farming backgrounds received agricultural tools and seeds as part of their return package.1
Refugees – 2005
The UNHCR assisted 260,000 IDPs and 37,900 refugees with resettling. 150,000 refugees returned to their home communities on their own. All refugees and IDPs received standard non-food return packages and food rations from the WFP. In addition, the UNHCR implemented community empowerment projects (CEP). These projects encompassed water, sanitation, education, crop production, shelter, and income generation initiatives. Communities were encouraged to help plan CEP projects. The CEP program was the cornerstone of the reintegration program for the IDPs and refugees. The CEP projects in the main agricultural counties also received seeds and tools to assist with the backyard gardening of rice and vegetables.1
Refugees – 2006
The UNHCR assisted 43,000 refugees and 51,300 IDPs with their return to their home communities. All returnees received household items through standard non-food return packages. The returnees also received 4 months of rations from the WFP. IDP camps were officially closed in April of 2006.1
Refugees – 2007
A total of 40,000 refugees returned to their home communities. 26,000 of these did so with the support of the UNHCR’s food and non-food rations. The UNHCR provided vocational training and human rights information sessions to 6,600 returnees. The attendees of these sessions were mostly women and young people. The voluntary repatriation operation in Liberia ended in June 2007 after it had helped 110,000 refugees return. An additional 50,000 refugees returned without UNHCR support between 2003 and 2007. Nevertheless, there were approximately 80,000 refugees to be repatriated from various countries in the sub-region.1
- “Secretary General’s Report to the UN Security Council,” United Nations (S/2007/479), August 8, 2007.
Refugees – 2008
Most of the refugees had returned by 2007, either through the UNHCR initiatives or via self-repatriation.
Refugees – 2009
No further developments observed.
Refugees – 2010
No further developments observed.
Refugees – 2011
No further developments observed.
Refugees – 2012
No further developments observed.