Democratic Republic of the Congo

2012 UNHCR country operations profile - Democratic Republic of the Congo

Working environment

The context

While most of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is now stable, the security situation remains volatile in the east of the country, where military operations against armed groups continue to generate internal displacement. The DRC suffers from generalized poverty and lawlessness, and young people are easily recruited by warlords, with serious infractions committed by armed groups as well as civilians. More than 1.7 million people are internally displaced persons (IDPs), of whom some 72,000 live in spontaneous camps where they are assisted by UNHCR. Apart from long-standing ethnic rivalries, competition over resources and land is another main trigger of conflict. Reconciliation committees have been established in all areas of major return to ease tensions and mediate between returnees and local communities in case of conflict.

At the end of 2010, the DRC hosted some 166,300 refugees, almost 19,200 fewer than in 2009, due to voluntary repatriation. Most of those who remain are from Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Sudan. With the exception of an estimated 59,000 Rwandan refugees in the Kivus who remain inaccessible to UNHCR, most refugees in the country are individually registered and documented. They enjoy relative freedom of movement, but opportunities for their local integration are restricted due to opposition from local communities.

The resumption of the Angolan repatriation in 2011, coupled with the planned invocation of the cessation clauses for the Angolan and Rwandan refugees, will significantly reduce the number of refugees in the DRC.

Some 950 asylum-seekers, mostly Burundians and Rwandans who arrived in the DRC a few years ago, have recently moved to urban areas.

In 2010, some 16,600 DRC refugees returned to their homeland, including around 1,100 from Burundi, 9,200 from Zambia and 6,200 spontaneous returnees from Uganda. Crucial progress was achieved through tripartite negotiations which have paved the way for further substantial voluntary repatriation in 2012 from the Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. More than 400,000 DRC refugees still remain in various asylum countries.

The needs

A million IDPs will require UNHCR's assistance in 2012, some 70,000 of them in camps. Despite the difficult working conditions, UNHCR will seek to provide protection both during displacement and upon return, and strengthen community response and protection mechanisms by means of education and mobilization.

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) remains of great concern, with mass rapes continuing to occur in the Kivus. After years of conflict, return programmes are often carried out in difficult conditions and returnees face many challenges as they try to reintegrate. The volatile security situation has compelled some IDPs to relocate many times. These secondary displacements add to the vulnerability of the population; women are at constant risk of falling victim to SGBV, and children of recruitment to armed groups.

The voluntary repatriation of Angolan refugees that resumed in 2011 is expected to continue. UNHCR anticipates assisting the voluntary return of some 40,000 refugees to Angola by mid-2012, while more than 30,000 will seek alternative durable solutions. Better security in Equateur Province may prompt many refugees from the Central African Republic and the Congo to repatriate voluntarily in organized or spontaneous ways. The reintegration process will focus on peaceful coexistence, with an emphasis on community-based projects.

Main objectives and targets for 2012

Fair protection processes and documentation

Civil registration and documentation are strengthened.

• The refugee population in possession of birth certificates increases from 88 per cent to 100 per cent.

Security from violence and exploitation

The risk of sexual and gender-based violence is reduced and the quality of the response to it is improved.

• 70 per cent of SGBV response mechanisms against perpetrators are effective.

Basic needs and services

Shelters and infrastructure are maintained and improved.

• All returnee households (refugees and IDPs) live in adequate dwellings.
• All camp-based and otherwise accessible newly displaced households receive emergency shelter.

Durable solutions

The potential for voluntary return is realized.

• All Congolese (DRC) refugees in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo and Tanzania who wish to return, are able to do so voluntarily and are provided with return packages.

Logistics and operational support

Logistics are optimized to support operational needs.

• All people of concern departing to areas of return arrive in safety and dignity.
• 88 per cent of supplies are received in time.

Strategy and activities in 2012

In view of the application of the cessation clause for Angolan refugees, UNHCR will promote their voluntary repatriation and help the Government of DRC to develop a framework for the local integration of the residual population. It will ensure exemption procedures for those who may still be in need of international protection. The invocation of the cessation clauses for Rwandan refugees will be accompanied by measures to promote their voluntary repatriation, and to seek local integration or other alternative solutions for those remaining in the DRC. Access to fair asylum procedures will be provided to new asylum-seekers.

For urban refugees, the revised strategy resets the focus on self-reliance, especially targeting vulnerable households that have so far been dependent on UNHCR's assistance. UNHCR will continue updating its comprehensive plan in order to mobilize resources and build partnerships with various stakeholders in the context of the South Sudan contingency plan. Following the earlier gaps analysis of refugee status determination (RSD) in the country, UNHCR will continue to help the Commission nationale pour les réfugiés (CNR) to build its capacity.

UNHCR will conduct a gaps analysis of the specific risks of statelessness and address the problem with the help of relevant actors in governmental and non-governmental institutions. Preventive activities for individuals at risk will continue, such as providing civil documentation and identification and reporting mechanisms.

Return and reintegration will be part of the overall stabilization and reconstruction programme in the Kivus. Interventions will be four-pronged, focusing on protection activities, individual assistance, community-based assistance and peacebuilding. With regard to IDPs, UNHCR will play a leadership role in the areas of protection, SGBV, emergency shelter, HIV and AIDS and the management and coordination of camps, including camp administration, security, profiling, emergency shelter and non-food items (NFIs).

Constraints

The security situation in the east remains volatile and unpredictable. Continuous fighting will have an adverse impact on the implementation of durable solutions for people of concern. Due to a lack of infrastructure and the continuous security threat, access to beneficiaries is difficult and affects the efficiency of humanitarian activities. The absence of state authority and rule of law hinder development efforts. Forthcoming elections that begin in November 2011 and end in May 2013 could also result in further insecurity.

Organization and implementation

Coordination

UNHCR will continue to work closely with the Government and liaise with immigration and local authorities to find solutions to the practical problems of refugees. Operational partners will include the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) and other UN agencies such as WFP, UNICEF and FAO. With regards to the protection and security of the Rwandan refugee population, UNHCR will collaborate with the CNR, the DRC security forces and MONUSCO to ensure freedom of movement for refugees. UNHCR will also work with national and international NGOs acting as implementing partners. Finally, UNHCR will reach out to development partners to provide longer-term sustainable programmes for refugees and returnees in the areas of local integration and reintegration.

Financial information

Over the last five years the budget for the DRC has grown continuously as UNHCR increased its engagement with IDPs and coped with the rising number of voluntary returns from asylum countries. Nonetheless, gaps remain and they require additional funding. With continuing violations of human rights in the east, UNHCR needs an adequate number of staff for effective monitoring. The protection and assistance of IDPs who opt to return, those living in camps and those newly displaced also need to be addressed.

It is expected that the signing of tripartite agreements with the Congo and Uganda will pave the way for repatriation in 2012, increasing the need for reintegration activities. The revised assistance strategy for urban refugees includes medical assistance to chronically ill people and primary and secondary education for school-aged children, which has increased the budget. In 2012, UNHCR's financial requirements amount to USD 150.7 million and in 2013 budgetary needs are expected to be USD 140.8 million.

Source: UNHCR Global Appeal 2012-2013