By ANDREW PHIRI –

THE United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has commended the Zambian Government for its effective humanitarian approach towards issues pertaining to the welfare of refugees since independence in 1964.
UNHCR country representative, Laura Lo-Castro said Zambia was well respected for continuing to give space to people running away from persecution and violence in their respective countries within the region.
He was speaking in Livingstone at the weekend after Zambia and Namibia signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on refugee matters.
The MoU is expected to, among other things, extend the existing corporation between the two countries under the Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) and foster stability as well as prosperity.
Ms Lo-Castro said Zambia currently still welcomed Congolese refugees who continued to cross the border as they were running away from violence and persecution in that country.
“As I speak now, the Congolese are still crossing the Zambian border in Luapula Province running away from persecution and violence and they are being welcomed,” Ms Lo-Castro said.
She said Zambia and Africa in general had continued to teach the world a lesson on the need to respect the rights of asylum seekers.
“Examples are many these days of countries in Europe and Asia that deny access to their territories to people flying away from wars and starvation,” Ms Lo-Castro said.
She said UNHCR was pleased to be part of the discussions that led to the signing of the MOU between the two countries.
The UN agency was convinced that the implementation of the agreement would be fully in line with the two Governments’ commitment to the international protection of persons of their mutual concern.
Ms Lo-Castro said that UNHCR was also aware of various security concerns that the States had, which were often a backdrop in which irregular movement was being discussed.
“We believe that an effective and humane national refugee protection regime is the best way to prevent secondary movements to occur, in addition to making a significant contribution towards the very same security of the states involved,” Ms Lo-Castro said.
Zambia’s Home Affairs Minister Ngosa Simbyakula and Namibian Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pendukeni Ivula- Ithani on Friday last week signed the MOU on refugee matters in Livingstone at Chrismar Hotel.