The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has committed $80.1 million (about K81 billion) to Malawi for use in reviewing the Refugees Act, relocating refugees and asylum seekers and establishing a new refugee camp in Chitipa District.
Information The Daily Times has sourced from the Malawi Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland, indicates that out of the amount, the United Nations agency has pledged to provide $80 million for resettlement of the refugees, $50,000 for the review of the Refugees Act and another $50,000 for the verification exercise of refugees.
This follows bilateral talks between Malawi delegates and UNHCR officials.
UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi assured local authorities that his organisation was committed to providing the money to Malawi to assist in the said activities.
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“We plan to provide $50,000 for the review of the Refugees Act, $50,000 for verification exercise of refugees and in our next budget we [will] table at least $80 million for real resettlement exercise for the new refugee camp at Kayilizi in Chitipa District,” Grandi said.
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Homeland Security Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma said Malawi cherishes the assistance that UNHCR offers.
“This assistance will go a long way in improving the welfare of refugees in Malawi and in our quest to have the camp relocated to Chitipa,” Zikhale Ng’oma said.
In another development, Malawi amassed the highest vote, at 182, to retain its seat at the UN Human Rights Council for a three-year term that begins in 2024.
This follows elections that were conducted on Tuesday, during the 74th Session of the UNHCR Executive Committee.
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In the African region, Cote d’Ivoire came second with 181 votes, Ghana got 179 votes while Burundi amassed 168.
Nigeria got only 3 votes and is the only African country among the five that did not get a seat.
Zikhale Ng’oma said this means that Malawi is seen as the best in human rights management on the continent.
“This is a sign that Malawi has proven to the world that it is on the right truck and respects human rights to the point of winning the world’s confidence in the manner we respect human rights despite others trying to tarnish our image. This is good news indeed and we thank Malawians for their support,” Zikhale Ng’oma said.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Defenders Coalition Chairperson Gift Trapence described the news as exciting.
“It is good that Malawi has been voted back in the Human Rights Council. Malawi needs to be a role model in the world by promoting and protecting human rights of its own citizens, including those of vulnerable groups. Malawi needs to side with the principles of international human rights norms,” Trapence said.
The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.
The council will consist of countries such as Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, the Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi and the Netherlands.
