. Burkart

By CHUSA SICHONE –
THE German government has pledged to contribute more than K8 million (700, 000 Euros) towards the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee response in Zambia and Angola in 2018.
This is in the light of an influx of asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) -now put at over 10,000 – who are fleeing unrest and are currently being hosted at Kenani transit centre in Luapula Province.
German ambassador to Zambia Achim Burkart said in a statement that his country’s commitment to assist Zambia was based on the realisation and appeals by the Zambian Government and the UNHCR for support from well-wishers to lessen the burden.
“Zambia and Germany share the common experience of welcoming refugees fleeing from conflict into our respective countries. My Government is familiar with the logistical, financial and integrational challenges and I am, therefore, very glad to announce that the German government has committed 700,000 Euros to the UNHCR refugee response in Zambia and Angola in 2018,” he said.
Recently, the Germany embassy in Zambia donated assorted items worth K600, 000 to the Congolese asylum seekers at Kenani transit centre, making the German government one of the first bilateral partners to respond to the calls for assistance.
UNHCR representative to Zambia Pierrine Aylara said on Monday that the number of registered Congolese asylum seekers at the Kenani transit centre had gone up to 10, 065 since August this year.