Côte d'Ivoire to inaugurate two reception centres for Burkinabe refugees
Until now, civilians fleeing violence in Burkina Faso have been welcomed in local communities or religious centers. More than 31,000 have crossed the border, according to UNHCR's latest figures
Displaced people from northern Burkina Faso around a water pump on January 22, 2020 (Illustration image). OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
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With our correspondent in Abidjan, François Hume-Ferkatadji
The two centers will each have a capacity of 7,500 people, according to the National Security Council. Rather 5,000 people, according to UNHCR.
The first is inaugurated this Saturday in Ouangolodougou, north of Ferkessédougou, about fifteen kilometers from the Burkinabe border. A total of 1,100 shelters of 26 m2 – consisting of a living room and a bedroom – were built to accommodate families or groups of 6 to 7 people.
The Burkinabés hosted in this center will be able to benefit from the infrastructure of the municipality such as schools or the dispensary.
« A first in Africa »
The second center, with a slightly higher capacity, will be inaugurated Monday in Bouna, more than 300 km from the first, at the eastern tip of the border corridor. These structures are protected by barbed wire fences. Security guards will ensure the security of the sites.
These two centres are 90% funded by Côte d'Ivoire, an approach welcomed by the UNHCR, which evokes "a first in Africa". By controlling funding, the host country will also be able to maintain control over these reception centres, which are perceived as a possible destabilizing factor in the longer term.
These families fleeing jihadist violence – but also those of the Burkinabe army and its civilian auxiliaries: the volunteers for the defense of the homeland (VDP) – do not legally have refugee status. To this day, they remain asylum seekers.
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- Ivory Coast
- Burkina Faso
- Refugees
- International migration