Rwanda continues to face a precarious regional security situation, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While Rwanda hosts thousands of refugees, there is a similar number of Rwandan refugees in neighbouring countries.
The latest major influx of refugees was from DRC in late-2006 and almost all new refugees are from eastern DRC, where security worsened during 2008/2009. Rwanda currently hosts 54,000 refugees from DRC in three camps and two transit centres; the current population is 6 percent higher than in early-2008. Since Rwanda is not in a position to provide refugees with land, integration is unlikely and repatriation is the only durable solution. Security conditions in DRC are not expected to allow repatriation in the near future
More returnees are anticipated. Over 70,000 Rwandans are living as refugees or asylum seekers in neighbouring countries. As the political environment in Rwanda is considered to be improving,
Rwandese refugees living in neighbouring countries are expected to return: 20,000 people could arrive in 2010-2011 if the current rate of return continues.
Rwanda is currently enduring a deterioration in nutritional conditions, which prompted the Government’s National Emergency Plan to Fight Malnutrition in children under 5. The comprehensive nutrition survey shows national levels of stunting at 52 percent, wasting at 5 percent and underweight at 16 percent. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is 3 percent, with 149,000 people living with HIV and AIDS; many people on anti-retroviral therapy are food insecure.
This protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO) is to address the continuing refugee and returnee situation, as well as the deterioration in nutritional conditions, particularly among vulnerable groups. The PRRO’s objectives are to: (i) save lives and protect livelihoods of refugees, returnees and victims of emergencies (WFP Strategic Objective (SO)1); (ii) improve the productive capacities of refugee host communities and returnees by addressing the effects of environmental degradation (SO3); (iii) improve the nutrition status of women and children (SO1), food assistance by government counterparts at the national level and in decentralized structures (SO5); and (v) contribute to increased incomes and local production through the procurement of locally- produced foods from low-income small-scale farmers under the Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative (SO5).
The PRRO draws on the 2008 WFP/UNHCR joint assessment mission, and a 2009 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment and Nutrition Survey. The PRRO strategy is aligned with the Government’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (2008-2012); the National Emergency Plan to fight Malnutrition; and the ‘One UN’ programme. The PRRO contributes to the Millennium Development Goals 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and to the 2008-2012 United Nations Development Framework objectives.
WFP will assess and support opportunities to phase down food interventions based on the context of individual activities. WFP will ensure the full involvement of communities and local authorities in all phases of implementation, as well as support for capacity development for local and national authorities, to facilitate eventual phasing down or handover.