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Côte d'Ivoire + 1 more

Côte d'Ivoire: Food shortage and shelter need for refugees in Liberia

While the political situation in Côte d'Ivoire remains fragile and unresolved the influx of refugees in neighbouring Liberia has caused widespread food shortage. Host communities are receiving large numbers of refugees but fall short of shelter and supplies.

The Danish Refugee Council is increasing efforts to respond to the refugee crisis in Liberia, where an influx has been under way since mid December 2010, due to the violence in Côte d'Ivoire. So far, more than 25,000 Ivorian refugees have crossed the border to Liberia. One of the major border crossing points is Nimba where more refugees are arriving every day fleeing violence in Côte d'Ivoire. The figure continues to increase rapidly, as agencies are reporting up to 600 new arrivals daily.

- Despite already scarce resources it is absolutely overwhelming to see how host communities welcome the refugees even though their own livelihoods are being jeopardized. Most likely this is given by the past history of wars in the region, but without doubt the level of generosity is one of a kind, says Peter Joshi, emergency coordinator for the Danish Refugee Council in Liberia.

The communities now hosting refugees are all affected, as resources are being stretched substantially. Ensuring access to the host communities in Liberia has been one of the priorities to the Danish Refugee Council and road rehabilitation to Gborplay, one of the remote host communities so far inaccessible, has finally enabled aid agencies to reach the population there.

- It is crucial to support access to the local host communities who are under enormous pressure from the massive influx of refugees from Côte d'Ivoire. At this stage we see a dire need to step up assistance to the host communities in Liberia. We are worried that the massive pressure on the host communities will trigger new and long term crisis scenarios in Liberia, says Anika Krstic, the Danish Refugee Council's regional head of programme and policy in West Africa.

The overall concerns are prevention of outbreaks of diseases, depletion of water and sanitation services, and maintaining a level of food security for all. Besides road rehabilitation, construction and repair of crucial water points and sanitation services has been initiated by the Danish Refugee Council in collaboration with other partners along the border line. Communities there are housing large numbers of Ivorian refugees.

- Right now we are working in collaboration with other aid agencies in the area to find solutions to the food shortage. Food distribution is one of the major concerns right now as it remains unknown when the refugees are able to return to Côte d'Ivoire, says Anika Krstic from Liberia.

The Danish Refugee Council has been present in the area since 2003, and some of the supported peace committee members and volunteers have helped out with registration of refugees, and are still carrying on with awareness activities in the communities. In addition, the Danish Refugee Council is now looking into experiences of the farmer groups in host communities as there is a growing concern that the pressure on the local communities will affect their future livelihoods.