International Organisation for Migration (Hansard, 11 March 2003)

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the UN regarding the funding of a visit by the International Organisation for Migration to Liberia. [101712]

§ Clare Short
We funded the visit of a four-person IOM team to Liberia in October 2002. to conduct an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) assessment survey. The visit was to evaluate the numbers, vulnerability and socio-economic profiles of the IDP population; to assess the cost of potential future programmes of assistance; and to participate in a UN co-ordinated IDP registration exercise, launched in collaboration with the Liberian authorities.
Subject to agreement on detailed objectives, we have agreed in principle to fund a return visit, in part to carry out some preliminary work on identifying urgent caseloads of IDPs who can be returned to their homes, and the costs of such an exercise.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the security issue in UNHCR transit centres and surrounding villages in Grand Gedeh County, Liberia. [101718]

§ Clare Short
The recent eruption of fighting, apparently between Liberian opposition groups and Liberian armed forces, around Toe Town in Grand Gedeh County, has seriously affected the UNHCR transit centres in Toe Town itself and in Zwedru. There are reports that the Liberian opposition groups involved are operating from within Cote d'Ivoire.
UNHCR has reported that, following an attack on Toe town on 28 February, local residents and an estimated 2,500 Ivorian refugees and third country nationals fled towards Zwedru. UNHCR has established a transit centre at Zwedru. A skeleton staff of UNHCR, WFP and N GO staff are running the centre. On 4 March, following rumours that the town would be attacked, many people left Zwedru. As a precautionary measure, a month's food rations were issued to all refugees and third country nationals staying in the centre.
The security situation in Grand Gedeh County remains unstable and uncertain. This is due to the combined effects of fighting in Liberia and Cote d'lvoire. We are strongly supporting efforts by the international community to press for an end to conflict in both countries.