UNHCR to Exit Liberia, Shifting Refugee Burden to Government

Monrovia – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is set to close its operations in Liberia, shifting the responsibility for refugee welfare and reintegration entirely to the Liberian government.

Jackson Page, Acting Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), described the development as a significant shift that would affect thousands of refugees. “The bad news we got was that UNHCR, that be catering to the refugees, they are closing out of Liberia because they don’t have the number anymore,” Page explained. “So, they’re moving to Ivory Coast, where they will have supervision over four countries, including Liberia.”

The withdrawal of UNHCR comes as Liberia is repatriating its citizens from Ghana’s Buduburam Refugee Camp. Earlier this year, structures in the camp were demolished, and at least 1,000 returnees have already been repatriated to Liberia. However, the reintegration process has proven challenging.

For many of these returnees, coming back to Liberia after years of exile is like stepping into an unfamiliar world. “They are strangers in their own country,” Page observed. “Somebody left from here 32 years ago. When you come back to Liberia, you don’t even know where people are.”

This disconnection from home makes it difficult for returnees to find housing, reconnect with family, and establish new livelihoods. As many have spent most of their lives abroad, some even speak with foreign accents and face challenges in adapting to Liberian society.

Page acknowledged that without external assistance, the government must now find ways to continue the essential work of reintegrating returnees and supporting refugees. “The support that they used to give LRRRC is now going to be readily available,” he said. “So the government has to find ways to keep these institutions active.”

To address the challenges of reintegration, Page emphasized the importance of vocational training and community-based initiatives. He proposed that returnees be provided with opportunities to gain new skills and find employment. “Our next phase now is to provide the means by which our people can be easily integrated into society,” Page noted, calling for government action to sustain the facilities and programs needed for successful reintegration.