Rwanda, UN refugee agency launch joint verification of refugees

The government of Rwanda and the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday launched a program to jointly verify refugees and asylum-seekers residing in Rwanda.

The joint program, launched in Rwandan capital Kigali, is aimed at updating information and verifying refugees' physical presence in the country through biometric data.

It will facilitate the refugees' access to government services, boost their employability and help them move more freely in the country and abroad, Minister for Disaster Management and Refugees of Rwanda Jeanne d'Arc Debonheur said.

The updated information and documentation will allow for better protection and assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers in Rwanda, and contribute to better planning by the government, UNHCR and relevant stakeholders dealing with refugees, according to the ministry of refugees.

The verification program started with urban refugees in Kigali and Huye District in southern Rwanda, and will later move to the six refugee camps in the country.

Registration of refugees and asylum-seekers in Rwanda is conducted jointly by the Rwandan government and UNHCR.

Friday's launch followed a May 2017 deal signed by Rwanda and UNHCR to facilitate sharing of data on identity of refugees in Rwanda.

Statistics from UNHCR showed that Rwanda hosted over 160,000 refugees and asylum-seekers by Jan. 31, 2017.