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Cote d'Ivoire encourages refugees in Ghana to return home

Xinhua, May 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Officials from Cote d'Ivoire, during their recent visit to Ghana, have called on Ivorian refugees in Ghana to return home.

The delegation met some of the refugees and updated them on recent development in Cote d'Ivoire.

It encouraged the refugees to embrace a voluntary program to return home, according to a statement issued by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday.

Cote d'Ivoire's Minister of Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Compensation of Victims, Mariatou Kone, apologized for loss of lives and suffering that Ivorian, particularly those in exile, had been put through as a result of the country's post-election crisis during 2010 to 2011.

"I would like to take this opportunity to say sorry because I know many people have suffered and many more continue to suffer," she said.

Kone assured the refugees of the government's commitment to consolidating the country and encouraged them to return home to be part of the process to "rebuild the country".

The refugees expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian government and the UNHCR for hosting them and providing assistance in their time of need.

They requested an increase in cash support as well as cessation of statements considering refugees in Ghana as self-imposed exiled persons.

In response to the refugees' concerns, Kone said the government had expanded its compensation package for returning refugees who had evidence of lost property.

Over 20,000 Ivorian refugees fled to Ghana during the post-election violence that erupted in November 2010.

The voluntary repatriation process for them began in 2011 following the signing of a tripartite agreement between Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and the UNHCR. But since then only some 203 Ivorian refugees have been returned.

Today Ghana still hosts some 11,000 Ivorian refugees. Endit