adminThe Rhodesia Herald,
May 24, 1967
THE number of refugees in Africa, South of the Sahara has risen to 740 000, 110 000 more than in January last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Africa, disclosed yesterday.
The High Commissioner, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, also expressed concern about the situation in Macao, where there are 80 000 Chinese refugees.
He was speaking at the opening of the spring session of the 30-nation executive committee of the High Commissioner’s programme.
He told them that the refugee situation in Europe is well under control.
Of the African refugees, Prince Sadruddin, said that about 450 000 of the present total can be considered settled, but more than 250 000 others still need active assistance.
He said about half of his financial target, of 1,64 million pounds for 1967 is intended for projects in Africa.
The main groups of African refugees include more than 30 000 Angolans in Congo (Kinshasa), and Zambia; 160 000 Rwandese in Burundi, Congo (Kinshasa), Tanzania, and Uganda; and, 115 000 Sudanese in Congo (Kinshasa), the Central African Republic and Uganda.
Prince Sadruddin said the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration is this year assisting 56 300 people, 33 500 refugees, and 22 800 European nationals, to settle in other lands.
Australia alone will take 22 500. About 3 000 Europeans go each year to Latin America.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
The issue of refugees in Africa continues to be a cause for concern with thousands dying at sea while trying to cross over to Europe.
United Nations officials estimated that 1 600 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea last year alone.
The Mediterranean Sea is the main gateway to Europe for migrants trying to enter the continent with the help of smugglers.
The growing crisis of refugees in Africa calls for more concerted efforts by African states under the banner of the African Union to address internal conflicts in countries such as Somalia.
The situation also calls for African nations to help accommodate fellow Africans especially those from war-torn nations.
In Zimbabwe, there are four refugee camps and as of 2020 there were 9 266 refugees in the country.
Online Reporter