IOM, in partnership with UNHCR, has begun a weekly voluntary
repatriation of Ivorian refugees who had fled to Liberia at the
outbreak of the civil war in April 2011.

The operation is taking place simultaneously with the
repatriation of the remaining Liberian refugees who have been
living in Cote d'Ivoire.

A total of 15,000 Ivorian refugees and 15,000 Liberian refugees
will be assisted to return to their respective countries by the end
of the operation.

There are an estimated 79,000 Ivorian refugees still residing in
Liberia and up to 24,000 Liberian refugees in Cote d'Ivoire.

On 22nd February a first convoy of nine vehicles (four buses and
five trucks) carrying 233 men, women and children, some of them
vulnerable, left Toe Town refugee camp in Eastern Liberia.

They made the 6-hour journey from eastern Liberia and crossed
the river which marks the border between the two countries, before
arriving at Toulepleu, a village in Cote d'Ivoire, which is the
final destination for most of the returnees.

The second convoy left on 25th February and comprised a group of
339 who travelled from Sacleapea refugee camp in Liberia, to their
final destination in Danane region of Cote d'Ivoire.

In total, 13 vehicles carrying the returnees and their personal
possessions, such as chairs, beds, mattresses and food, were used
in the repatriation.

"I have had a peaceful existence here since my arrival in
Liberia," one of the returnees told IOM. "But as you know, home is
home. Now things are better at home, I need to return and re-build
my life for the sake of my children."

Prior to the journey, IOM had carried out road and
infrastructure assessments to ensure the safety of the convoy.

Once the returnees had reached their final destinations, IOM
provided them with essential non-food items that will help them to
restart their lives.

UNHCR provided the returnees with cash grants to meet their
immediate expenses and WFP provided them with a one-month food
ration.

At the peak of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, more than 200,000
Ivorian refugees had sought refuge in Liberia and an undetermined
number in neighbouring countries including Ghana, Mali, Burkina
Faso and Guinea. Most of them have now returned to Cote d'Ivoire
following the end of the civil strife and the subsequent
improvement of security.

Meanwhile, IOM has also started assisting the voluntary return
of the remaining Liberian refugees in Cote d'Ivoire. 

Last week, IOM assisted 250 Liberian refugees from the town of
Tabou to return to Harper in South-eastern Liberia. The same number
was repatriated a week earlier.

IOM is planning to step up the repatriation process to meet the
30th June deadline when Liberians living in Cote d'Ivoire will no
longer enjoy refugee status.

The scheduled voluntary repatriation of the Liberian and Ivorian
refugees is being funded by UNHCR and implemented by IOM.

It is anticipated that by the end of the year the targeted
numbers of the Ivorian and Liberian refugees would have been
assisted to return to their respective countries.

For more information, please contact:

David Coomber

IOM Cote d'Ivoire

Tel: +225 048 30 444

E-mail: "mailto:dcoomber@iom.int">dcoomber@iom.int