More than 8,000 Ivorian refugees flee to neighbouring countries amid political tension

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says the number of refugees has nearly tripled from 3,200 in just one week.

JOHANNESBURG, November 11 (ANA) – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has revealed that more than 8,000 Ivorian refugees have fled into neighbouring countries amid political tensions in Ivory Coast.

According to the organisation, the number has nearly tripled from 3,200 in just one week.

UNHCR stated that the current tensions in the country were triggering fears among Ivorians and were reminiscent of the country’s 2011 presidential election, which claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, forced over 300,000 to flee across the region and displaced more than one million inside the country.

“As of 9 November, more than 7,500 Ivorians had fled to Liberia. Over 60% of arrivals are children, some of whom arrived unaccompanied or separated from their parents. Older people and pregnant women have also fled, most carrying just a few belongings and little to no food or money.

“Some Ivorian refugees report they were initially prevented from leaving the country and forced to find alternative routes to enter neighbouring Liberia. The majority have told our teams in Liberia that they wish to remain close to the border and return as soon as the situation stabilises,” said the UNHCR in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The organisation stated that more than 500 Ivorians arrived in Ghana, Guinea and Togo, where they are receiving immediate assistance.

UNHCR said it has also increased border monitoring to ensure that the new arrivals are quickly identified and receive the assistance they need.

“We are planning to airlift essential relief items for up to 10,000 refugees in Liberia from our stockpiles in Dubai. In support of the response by Liberian authorities, UNHCR’s teams on the ground are racing to distribute humanitarian aid, food and cash assistance. We have deployed technical teams to address water, sanitation and shelter needs.”

The UNHCR added that it was grateful to the governments of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Togo for granting Ivorian refugees access to asylum on their territory, despite the border restrictions put in place due to Covid-19.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher