There are currently 2,018 refugees living in Lóvua settlement, this represents six per cent of the overall refugee population from the DRC in northern Angola.
So far, 586 tents have been distributed to refugees in Lóvua settlement, since the beginning of the relocation.
A water tank with the capacity of 5,000 litres has been provided to Lóvua Municipality to improve host communities’ access to potable water.
KEY FIGURES
76%
Of Congolese refugees in Angola are women and children
31,278
Biometrically registered Congolese refugees in Dundo area (8 September 2017) (5 July 2017). June)
50,000
Inter-agency planning figure for Congolese refugees from the Kasai region in northern Angola by the end of the year
Operational Context
The outbreak of violence in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in March 2017, triggered the internal displacement of some 1.4 million persons and the flight of over 31,000 refugees, into Lunda Norte Province of Angola. Refugees have reported generalized violence, mass killings, mutilations, burning of property, destruction of villages, schools and churches, a wide range of human rights abuses including rape of women and girls, shortage of food and the lack of access to basic services and goods. While refugees continue to arrive in Lunda Norte, the number of arrivals per day has decreased significantly since early July 2017. Interviews with newly-arrived refugees indicate that the main roads to the border are largely blocked forcing those who enter Angola, to use unofficial border entry points.
The DRC-Angola border serves as a main channel for trade between the two countries. While the border is closed to trade and commerce, the Government of Angola (GoA) has maintained an open door policy to welcome any Congolese nationals fleeing as a result of the civil unrest. As the situation remains volatile in the Kasai region, humanitarian agencies in Angola have developed a response plan to assist an influx of 50,000 refugees by end December 2017. The interagency humanitarian response for the current population of 31,278 Congolese refugees covers the areas of protection, emergency shelter, food and nutrition, non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene, health and emergency education, until the end of 2017.
On 8 August, the voluntary relocation of refugees, from Mussungue reception center to Lóvua settlement, some 100 kilometers from Dundo, has begun. Mussungue reception centre is now closed. Relocation of refugees from Cacanda reception centre commenced on 31 August and is ongoing. The current refugee population in Lóvua settlement stands at 2,018, or six per cent of the Congolese refugee population in northern Angola. A further 6,825 refugees continue to live in Cacanda pending further relocation to Lóvua. The settlement has a total planned capacity for approximately 30,000 refugees, in order to effectively respond to the needs of the refugees living in Lunda Norte. The lack of heavy machinery to open primary and secondary roads in Lóvua, continues to delay site development and installation of basic facilities to receive refugees.