UNHCR REPATRIATES 200 LIBERIAN REFUGEES FROM GHANA 2 ACCRA

WARMING SIGNS OF DEVELOPMENT
AND CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS, INCLUDING IN THE AREAS OF DISARMAMENT,
SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
THE SUCCESSFUL ELECTION AND SUBSEQUENT INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT
ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF IN JANUARY WERE NOTABLE MILESTONES IN A PROCESS
OF DEMOCRATISATION AND STABILISATION THAT STARTED IN LIBERIA NEARLY
THREE YEARS AGO.
THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 160,000 LIBERIAN REFUGEES STILL OUTSIDE
THEIR HOMELAND.
OUT OF THE ESTIMATED 340,000 LIBERIAN REFUGEES REGISTERED IN
COUNTRIES OF ASYLUM AT THE END OF 2003, SOME 180,000 HAVE ALREADY
RETURNED HOME SINCE THE START OF THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OPERATION
IN OCTOBER 2004.
OF THOSE, OVER 63,000 RETURNED WITH THE HELP OF UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION PROGRAMME, WHICH BEGAN IN OCTOBER 2004, WITH 3,221
RETURNING FROM GHANA TO DATE.
GHANA HOSTS SOME 39,000 LIBERIAN REFUGEES, WHO FORM THE MAJORITY
OF THE 60,000 REFUGEES IN THE COUNTRY.
-- SPA