UNHCR appeals for additional funding to meet needs of Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has appealed to the international community for additional support to meet the needs of the Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj, South Yemen, which is currently home to nearly 10,000 refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia.

The UNHCR explained in a recent report that additional funding is needed to fully implement the solutions strategy for the problems the Kharaz camp is facing.

The report stated that the required support would improve the conditions of refugees in the camp by increasing the provision of solar electricity and sanitation services, as well as supporting livelihoods through small income-generating projects.

The additional funding would also support the Assisting Spontaneous Return (ASR) program, which assists Somali refugees in making informed decisions about returning home while ensuring it’s done in a safe and dignified way, and the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation program for Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers.

Kharaz camp is the only camp for African refugees in Yemen. Opened in 2001, it is located in a desert area of Lahj Governorate near the capital city of Aden. According to UNHCR, the camp currently houses 2,314 families, made up of 9,853 asylum seekers.

Throughout 2023, about 97,000 African migrants arrived illegally in war-torn Yemen, amid economic and security concerns.