UNHCR calls on Gambia to ratify and adopt the Kampala Convention

Refugees at a transit camp at Choucha Ras Djir, 8kms from Tunisian border with Libya (UN)

The Head of Mission of United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in The Gambia has called on the Gambia Government to ratify and adopt the African Union (AU) Kampala Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Africa.

Mr. Sekou Saho, who was speaking during a press conference at the UNHCR’s Head Office in Kotu, added that Gambia has over the years experienced a massive displacement and the Kampala Convention will help to consolidate the work that had already been done on IDPs.

He noted that the Convention create specific legal obligations on States Party’s and additionally set out roles to be played by  African Countries. The Convention also calls for a collaborative approach by governments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

The recorded number of people displaced within their country due to conflict or violence rose to 27.5 million in 2010, which is the highest in a decade, according to a Report by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC),

The Report, Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and developments in 2010, was on 23^rd March, 2011 by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos.

“Close to three million people in 20 countries across the world were newly displaced from conflict and violence during 2010, and large scale displacement continues,” Elisabeth Rasmusson, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said.

“As we speak today, thousands of civilians in Cote d’Ivoire are fleeing to save their lives with the international community incapable of responding. More than half a million people have been internally displaced since December, following the disputed presidential election, and more than 100, 000 have fled to Liberia.”

The report documents that state assertion of sovereignty has led in several countries to the arbitrary denial access to displaced populations.Source - The Voice