UN States 1989 Refugee Repatriation Chapter Closed

Staff Reporter THE UNITED Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Namibia, Hopolang Phororo, has said that the United Nations provided assistance for the voluntary repatriation of former exile 1989 refugees and it has regularly listened to the concerns of the group’s representatives; however, this chapter is closed, after three decades. The UN further noted that any new consideration of this return does not fall within the mandate of the United Nations and that claims regarding unimplemented “resettlement” and “rehabilitation” components under UN Security Council Resolution 435 (1978) are unclear when assessed against UNHCR’s established definitions and mandate. The statement comes after the Secretary General of the SWAPO party, Sophia Shaningwa, gave an ultimatum to the 1989 exile refugees who are camping outside the SWAPO party headquarters to vacate the area by Tuesday, 20 January 2026. The refugees have been camping at the entrance of the SWAPO headquarters since October 2025, demanding clarification on long-standing claims that funds allegedly allocated by the UN for repatriated exiles, said to amount to N$21.7 million, were given to SWAPO for distribution but never reached the intended beneficiaries. Shaningwa, however, stated that after a review of the party’s financial records, these claims cannot be substantiated with any evidence. The UN also echoed these sentiments and stated that there were no post-repatriation benefit funds earmarked by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that are undistributed or available for claim now, and that any basic assistance support provided at the time was accounted for and the process closed. The UNHCR further maintained that responsibility for the rehabilitation of returnees rests with the government of the country of origin. “The return of Namibian refugees in 1989 took place through voluntary repatriation, whereby refugees freely chose to return home in safety and dignity. The UN’s role in 1989 was limited to repatriation assistance — meaning helping refugees return safely to Namibia. UNHCR further confirmed that the 1989 Namibian repatriation was voluntary, that all available donor funds were fully utilised and accounted for, and that no earmarked funds were retained. Any unspent funds would have been returned to UNHCR Headquarters in line with established financial rules. This position has been consistently maintained by the United Nations in all formal dialogues since 2016 and remains unchanged,” Kavita Belani, UNHCR representative in southern Africa, said. UN WASHES HANDS CLEAN: The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Namibia, Hopolang Phororo. Photo: File.