IOM has launched an appeal supported by
UNHCR and the Zambian government, which would allow for the
repatriation of more than 12,000 Angolan refugees from Zambia this
year.

The appeal for nearly US$4.9 million is to
cover IOM operations in Zambia and Angola including land and air
transport of the refugees.

Funding and weather permitting, the assisted
return of Angolan refugees programme, which had ended last year,
would resume between June and August this year.

More than 63,300 Angolan refugees have been
voluntarily returned home from Zambia since 2003, a year after the
end of the civil war in Angola. However, there are still another
48,000 Angolan refugees currently living in and outside of camps in
Zambia.

Earlier this year a tripartite meeting between
UNHCR and the Zambian and Angolan governments observed by IOM,
decided the programme to repatriate Angolan refugees would be
extended until December 2006 given the large number of refugees
still remaining in the country.

If funds were raised, this would be last
assisted voluntary return of refugees to Angola. Of the more than
12,000 refugees to be assisted, 10,000 would come from camps and
the remaining 2,000 from refugees who had settled elsewhere.

Information campaigns will continue in order
to help the refugees in camps make informed decisions as to whether
they should return.

For those who do return, they are provided
with enough food rations, seeds and tools to help them resume
farming activities. IOM also promotes sustainable income generating
activities for returnees, including agriculture, food processing,
beekeeping, fishing, oil extraction from seeds, and the production
of construction materials and other goods and services.

For further information, please contact:



Josiah Ogina

Chief of Mission

IOM Lusaka

Tel: +260 97 740 550

E-mail: "mailto:jogina@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">jogina@iom.int 



Katherina Schnoring

IOM Luanda

Tel: +244 237 0877,

E-mail: "mailto:kschnoring@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">kschnoring@iom.int