By DELPHINE ZULU –

GOVERNMENT and the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency will conduct a verification and registration exercise of self-settled former Angolan refugees who are still living in urban and rural areas of Zambia.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement yesterday that the exercise would be held in consent with the Angolan Embassy and the Angolan Consulates.

The verification and registration exercise would start on August 4 this year to October 15 October. Targeted towns are Kitwe, Lufwanyama, Mufulira and Chingola, before moving further to North-Western Province on August 15 to cover Solwezi, Mwinilunga, Kasempa, Kabompo, Zambezi and Chavuma.

Other provinces to be covered under this exercise would include Western Province – Lukulu, Mongu, Kalabo, Senanga, Shang’ombo, Sioma and Sesheke and in Southern Province would cover Kalomo and Choma, while in Central Province it would be Itezhi Tezhi and Mumbwa.

“The objective of the verification and registration exercise is to allow Angolan former refugees to access different immigration permits -essential for those wishing to remain in Zambia – or to receive support to return to Angola, for those wishing to do so,” read the statement.

The exercise would also help the Government provide updated information to Angola and UNHCR on former Angolan refugees living in urban and rural areas of Zambia.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and UNHCR have urged all the self-settled former Angolan refugees in the targeted provinces to take advantage of the verification and registration exercise and come forward to register.