IOM, in partnership with UNHCR, has resumed, since January 20th,
2012, the provision of voluntary return assistance to 53,370
Angolan refugees scheduled to be repatriated this year, out of
176,000 persons still in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC), Zambia, Namibia, Republic of Congo and Botswana, almost ten
years since the end of the civil war in Angola.

As many as 600,000 people fled the country during the Angolan
civil war which ended in 2002. Over the last few years, IOM, UNHCR
and other partners have assisted many of them to return home.
However, the programme has been halted several times due to a
combination of lack of funds, post-election tensions in the DRC and
other logistical challenges.

IOM's current repatriation operation is anticipated to assist
4,882 persons to return home from Zambia, the DRC, Namibia and
Botswana.

The most recent returnee convoy reached Angola from the DRC on
Monday 13th February. It transported 2,517 refugees in a convoy of
12 trucks from an IOM transit centre in the capital Kinshasa.

Another group of 106 returnees left yesterday from the Dilolo
camp, in the Katanga province of the DRC to Luau Municipality in
Moxico Province, Angola.

At the transit camp, the identities of the returnees are
cross-checked by UNHCR and the Angolan consulate. Medical screening
is routinely carried out by IOM doctors who check whether the
returnees are healthy for the journey. The returnees are also
vaccinated according to Angolan public health standards.

Meanwhile, another group consisting of 2,365 returnees is
scheduled to be transported on 49 charter flights out of Lusaka,
Zambia. Commercial flights will also be used to transport a small
group of 29 returnees from Botswana and six from Namibia.

In the DRC, IOM has built transit camps for the Angolan refugees
returning to the Zaire province of Angola at Kimpese, in Bas-Congo
province of the DRC, and for those going to Moxico province at
Dilolo in Katanga.

In Angola, IOM, working closely with UNHCR and the Angolan
Ministry of Social Welfare and Reintegration (MINARS) is the lead
organization in the provision of road transport from the countries
of refuge to the final destinations, database management, and of
fuel for trucks and planes, landing rights and the provision of
medical escorts for vulnerable individuals.

IOM also coordinates and organizes the distribution of the
social reintegration kits and food assistance packages provided by
MINARS.

Upon arrival in Angola, the returnees are accommodated at
reception and transit centres constructed by MINARS with IOM
support, in the main areas of return in the provinces of Bengo,
Huambo, Moxico and Zaire.

There are currently nine IOM transit centres up and running in
Angola to cater for the returnees, while additional centres will be
established in the coming weeks.

The Government, through MINARS, provides the returnees with
social reintegration kits, food rations, including household items,
"do-it-yourself" construction tools, plastic sheeting, blankets,
agricultural tools and income generation activities.

In 2011, IOM in collaboration with UNHCR helped in the voluntary
return of a total of 4,243 Angolans from Zambia, the DRC, Namibia
and Botswana through land convoys and airlift operations.

In order to assist the remaining Angolans who wish to return to
their country safely, humanely and with dignity, IOM has appealed
for USD 14,297,624 to cover its operations in Angola, the DRC and
Zambia for year 2012.  To date, only USD 4,530,296 have so far
been received.

For more information please contact:

Michael Tschanz

IOM DRC

Tel: +243 810 36 36 40

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

Yukiko Kumashiro

IOM Angola

Tel: +244 936 683 532

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

or

Andrew Choga

IOM Zambia

Tel +260978770760

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