Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
President Edgar Lungu has hinted that government may consider extending the offer of local integration to Democratic Republic of Congo refugees who have been in Zambia for 10 years or more and for whom returning to their country is not a viable option.
In his intervention statement at the high level dialogue of the Uganda solidarity summit on refugees in Kampala Uganda, President Lungu said Zambia is currently implementing phase two of a model local integration programme for former Angolan and Rwandan refugees who were not willing to return to their countries of origin.
He says notwithstanding the challenges faced with regard to refugee protection, Zambia reaffirms its commitments made in September,2016 at the New York leaders’ summit, to maintain an open door policy and ensure that refugees are protected and have access to education and livelihood opportunities.
President Lungu says Zambia is ready to share its experiences and expertise on refugee protection, having itself been a longstanding home to refugees from neighboring countries in the region, as well as from the horn of Africa, for over fifty(50) years.
He also assured the government of Uganda of Zambia’s preparedness to collaborate in finding durable solutions for protracted cases.
President Lungu has further called on the international community to show commitment by increasing their support to Uganda in managing the refugees whose population in the country has doubled to just over one million, making Uganda Africa’s largest refugee hosting nation.