King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Saudi Arabia's entertainment sector attracts 76 million visitors in 2024    Third round of US-Iran nuclear talks concludes with cautious optimism    Multiple casualties reported after vehicle drives into crowd at Vancouver street festival    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Côte d'Ivoire welcomes families home, as refugee status formally ends
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 06 - 2022

The resolution of a civil conflict fuelled-displacement crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, which at its height forced more than 300,000 people to flee to neighboring countries and beyond, is "a welcome bright spot amid a rising global trend of forced displacement", said the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday.
The process to formally end refugee status for Ivorian refugees comes into effect on 30 June, acknowledging the end of an era of displacement for hundreds of thousands.
The development follows the peaceful resolution of two decades of intermittent civil strife, and political instability in the West African nation.
Last month, UNHCR announced that the war in Ukraine and other ongoing crises, had pushed the number of people forced to flee conflict and persecution worldwide beyond 100 million for the first time.
At a ceremony on Saturday in Abidjan hosted by the President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, and featuring national representatives and ambassadors from countries that hosted Ivorian refugees, High Commissioner Filippo Grandi met former refugee families and wished them well on their return home.
"For those of us in UNHCR, nothing is better than witnessing the end of exile. After two decades, Ivorian refugees can come home safely and in dignity. They are proud Ivorians - living and working in their own communities or in neighboring countries," he said.
"The return of hundreds of thousands of Ivorians demonstrates to the region – and the world – what is possible when there is political will to end violence and true cooperation among nations."
Under the terms of the cessation agreement, countries hosting Ivorian refugees are encouraged to facilitate their voluntary repatriation, or, for those few Ivorians who have chosen to remain, to facilitate local integration, a path to permanent residency and naturalization.
Ivorians fled the country in two distinct waves, following civil strife between 2002 and 2007, and 2011 and 2012, UNHCR noted.
Thousands of people also fled to neighboring countries just two years ago, amid fears of violence linked to presidential and parliamentary elections.
More than 310,000 Ivorian refugees, or 96 percent of all those registered across West Africa, have chosen to return.
Over 11,000 of the 14,000 people who have returned this year, have arrived from neighboring Liberia, where UNHCR is organizing weekly transportation for Ivorians wishing to return home.
Ivorians returning home may face challenges reintegrating, and will need sustained help, said UNHCR, but the Government has committed its support to their reintegration and local communities are welcoming them back.
Grandi traveled to the Liberian border to accompany Ivorian refugees on the last stage of their journey home by ferry across the river that marks the frontier between the two countries.
Liberian authorities formally delivered birth certificates to their Ivorian counterparts, to ensure returnees can enroll their children in schools, obtain national identity cards and register to vote.
The High Commissioner pledged UNHCR's continued support to Côte d'Ivoire and the countries that hosted Ivorian refugees to implement the cessation clauses, and assist all those wishing to return home. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.