§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Department (a)has pledged and (b)is providing to Liberian refugees in Guinea; what programmes this assistance is going to; and if he will make a statement. [131643]
§ Hilary Benn:We contribute £14 million per year to UNHCR although we are not directly supporting refugees from Liberia in Guinea.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment the Department has made of (a)the number, and (h)the impact of refugees from Liberia entering Guinea since April 2003; and if he will make a statement. [131800]
§ Hilary Benn:Refugees from Liberia have been entering Guinea for many years, fleeing hostilities and hardship. UNHCR report a new influx since 13 September of 4,500 arrivals into south-east Guinea. This brings the total number of Liberian refugees in Guinea to 116,000 refugees. The most recent refugees are temporarily housed in clinics and public buildings at the border, but UNHCR is transferring them away from the border to established refugee camps where they receive all basic services. So far, 1,500 have been transferred.
The total number of refugees in Guinea is significantly reduced from 390,000 at the end of 2000 to 180,000 at the end of 2002 as a result of the improved security situation in Sierra Leone. UNHCR are managing to respond to the needs of the new Liberian refugees although the situation will be closely monitored.