For several months now, Ivory Coast has been welcoming refugees from Burkina Faso, escaping threats from armed terrorist groups. There are an estimated 27,212 refugees, of whom nearly 15,557 have been registered by the Ivorian authorities and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They are currently being accommodated with host families.
The UNHCR representative in Ivory Coast, Papa Kysma Sylla, explained that these refugees should shortly be moving to two sites built by the Ivorian authorities in the regions of Tchologo (departments of Ferkéssédougou, Kong, and Ouangolodougou) and Bounkani (departments of Tehini, Bouna, and Doropo).
The official said that these sites were built in the space of two months and that the first refugees should be received by the end of this month. The government is therefore committed to covering the costs of assistance for 3 months, while also ensuring access to education and health care for these refugees.
Mr. Papa Kysma Sylla also noted that the sites are financed entirely by the government of Ivory Coast, while welcoming this new way of assisting refugees, by ensuring stability and peace in the border areas of Ivory Coast that receive the refugees, but also by incorporating this into the various development programs of Ivory Coast.