Angola. the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sierra Leone. and Somalia. In 2004. refugees from Liberia (100.000). Burundi (90.000). Angola (64.000). and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (30.000) retumed to their countries in large numbers and the UNHCR started a program intended to help an additional 340.000 Liberians repatriate. In March 2004. the UNHCR took an important step to act on the improved prospects for the return home of millions of longtime refugees in Africa. The UNHCR launched its Dialogue on Voluntary Repatriation and Substainable Reintegration in Africa. The Africa Dialogue calls on the international community to seize this unique opportunity for the return of up to 2 million refugees and several million displaced persons across the continent. and it stresses the need to invest in longterm development to make returns durable. Today. the Africa Dialogue continues to make progress. however. considerable challenges still lie ahead. Returns must be matched by postconflict reconstruction and reintegration in order to break the cycle of violence and make repatriation sustainable.
Keywords matched
refugees