Eritrea

Background information

At the beginning of 2005 close to 60,000 IDPs and about 10,000 expellees from rural Ethiopia were living under harsh conditions in different dilapidated camps awaiting resettlement and reintegration. To this end, a joint programme was signed between UNDP, UNICEF, WFP and the Government of the State of Eritrea on October 28, 2004. The programme aimed at returning and resettling 30,000 IDPs and expellees either to their villages of origin or in a Government designated area. (PHASE ONE)

In the first phase of implementing the joint programme, in February 2005, close to 19,000 (5,054 HH) IDPs from Adi Keshi Camp successfully resettled in their village of origin in Gash Barka Region, Western Eritrea. Owing to various reasons, however, the remaining IDPs and expellees await to be resettled.

In May 2006 a revised and expanded Joint Programme on IDPs have been signed among UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA and Government to return all the IDPs camped in Gash Barka and Debub Regional Administrations including the remaining IDPs awaiting resettlement in phase one. 5079 HHs (20,000 population) have been returned to their villages of origin in April and May 2006. In 2007, 4967 (20892 Population) have been returned and resettled to their communities of origin. In 2008 796 HHs (2,760 persons) from Metera camp returned to their communities of origin in Ambesete Geleba and 429 HHs (1,693 persons) from Mai Wurai camp resettled in Feghi Merih in Gash Barka region. Currently, all IDPs have been returned to their communities of origin or resettled in new villages. As a result there is no any IDPs camp in the country.

In preparation for the return of the IDPs, the areas of return had to be mine free assured from Eritrean Demining agency (EDA). UNDP assisted in Establishing EDA/EDO through its Mine action capacity building programme (MACBP).

Objectives

1. Support the smooth return of IDPs/Expellees to the communities of origin or resettlement.
2. Support vulnerable families, women and children especially in ensuring adequate social service access (Shelter, water, education, and food/nutrition, health) and ability to be sheltered in the immediate and long term, as well as to have access to livelihood opportunities.
3. Reduction of land mine accidents through mine risk education
4. Monitoring the integration capacities of host villages and viability of sustainable settlement and eventual self-sufficiency of returnees.

Programme Interventions Components

The most relevant programme interventions includes:

1. Provision of shelter (UNDP) (MDG 1,3)
2. Water supply and sanitation (UNDP, UNICEF and Government) (1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6)
3. Sustainable livelihood (UNDP) (MDG1, 3, 7)
4. Education (UNICEF) (MDG2)
5. Health facilities (UNICEF, UNFPA)(MDG 3, 4,5)
6. Feeder roads (Government) (MDG1 to MDG 7)

Partners

Main partners of the programme are:

1. Donors (Norway, EC, Netherlands, USAID, Italy, CERF/UNOCHA)
2. Government (MoND, Regional Administrations)
3. UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA and WFP)
4. NGOs (NCA, NDF)

Results

1. The movement and integration of target IDPs families will be conducted in a smooth and safe manner,
2. Provision of social services to families, access to shelter, food and water in sustainable way.
3. Support to the Provision of basic social services (Education, Health Water supply) and resumption of sustainable livelihoods.
4. Risk from landmine accidents will be minimized through mine risk awareness and education.

Management Arrangements

Funds for the joint programme are managed through pooled and parallel funding. In the case of pooled funding, the participating organization transfer funds allocated for the joint programme to UNDP, acting as managing agent. Other activities are carried out by parallel funding modality. UNDP is responsible for supervision and reporting of overall programme activities as a managing agent.