Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 4 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 11 March 2003. It was answered by Clare Short (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 March 2003 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the UN regarding the rights of third country nationals to receive UNHCR care in the transit centres of Grand Gedeh County, Liberia.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the UN regarding the rights of third country nationals to receive UNHCR care in the transit centres of Grand Gedeh County, Liberia. [101716] Clare Short: Although UNHCR is providing shelter and food for many of the estimated 12,000 third country nationals in Liberia, most of whom are from Burkina Faso and Mali, it is not part of its mandate to do so. They are unable to return to their countries of origin because of the closure of the Guinean border by the Guinean authorities. UNHCR has agreed with IOM that they will take over responsibility for third country nationals. We have recently funded a visit to Liberia by IOM to look into the situation of IDPs. We are discussing with them possible funding for a second mission to include an assessment of the situation of third country nationals and the preparation of a plan for their return to their countries of origin, to be used in part to persuade the Guinean authorities to allow them transit through Guinea.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 101716; 401 c172-3W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Asylum International assistance UN High Commissioner for Refugees Liberia Migrant camps Mali International Organization for Migration Burkina Faso
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk