GABORONE, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 48 Zimbabwean refugees left Botswana's Dukwi Refugee Camp on Wednesday heading to their native country at the start of a voluntary repatriation exercise.
The voluntary repatriation, which is a joint initiative by the governments of Botswana and Zimbabwe alongside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), seeks to evacuate the remaining 300 Zimbabweans who fled their country in 2008.
These Zimbabweans left their country of origin as a result of political violence, Thobo Letlhage, director of Refugee Management and Welfare in Botswana's Ministry of Defense, Justice and Security, told Xinhua in a telephone interview.
"However, they have since decided to go back to their country of origin on their own volition because the refugee status is not permanent," said Letlhage as the first batch of the returning refugees took off by bus heading for Zimbabwe.
According to Letlhage, the refugees will be taken in small batches since COVID-19 containment measures have to be implemented in order not to spread and transmit the global pandemic from one country to the other.
Letlhage said Botswana government is committed to assist all the refugees from Zimbabwe since it believes that their best interest is served when they return to their homes.
UNHCR is giving all the adults 520 U.S.dollars (USD) and minors 100 USD, as a once-off payment, Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro, Zimbabwe's ambassador to Botswana, said.
In addition to the financial package, Mukonoweshuro said the returning Zimbabweans were given three-month food package to assist them, as they will be still finding their footing upon arrival in Zimbabwe.
"Returning to their home country is a durable solution for refugees," said Mukonoweshuro.
The repatriation programme which started Wednesday is expected to end on March 25. Enditem
