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Emergency Assistance for Ivory Coast Refugees

by Plan UK | Plan UK
Thursday, 6 January 2011 12:51 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Leading children’s charity, Plan International, is starting to help tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the crisis in Ivory Coast.

Around 21 thousand people have already crossed the border into neighbouring Liberia.

They are trying to escape violent clashes between rival supporters of the two men claiming the Ivory Coast’s presidency: Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara.

Plan has conducted a rapid assessment in order to focus aid for the refugees.

“About 8,000 children have crossed the border,” says Mohamed Bah, Plan International’s Country Director in Liberia.  “We estimate that over 3,000 of them crossed without their parents. We are still trying to establish how many are without any relatives.”

While many of the refugees merge with local populations, some of them move back and forth between Liberia and Ivory Coast to organize food. “The main problems identified include water and sanitation, health and nutrition, food and shelter and those unaccompanied minors,” says Mr Bah.

Plan will also concentrate on preventing exploitation and abuse of young people, in any form. “We will aim to ensure that children are provided opportunities to safely continue their education,” explains Mr Bah.

The displaced people are currently concentrated in 23 towns and villages in Nimba County, one of the poorest regions in the West African country. Some of the areas where refugees are staying are completely inaccessible.

“There is also a challenge in terms of language as Ivory Coast is Francophone, whereas Liberia is an Anglophone country,” adds Mr Bah.

In Burkina Faso, another country bordering Ivory Coast, Plan is also on standby to deal with an influx of people.

“We are preparing to provide emergency assistance to people crossing into the south west of the country,” says Plan International’s Country Director in Burkina Faso, Mahamadou Tounkara. “We could be helping returning Burkinabé nationals who had been living in Ivory Coast, as well as people from other countries. Our aim will be to provide hot meals, drinking water, first aid and warm clothing,” he explains.

As the political crisis in Ivory Coast deepens, Plan International is on alert to respond to any further fallout in neighbouring countries.

The UN says Alassane Ouattara won November’s presidential election, but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refuses to step down. Mr Gbagbo has agreed to talks to try and end the stand-off but the deadlock remains, with tensions still running high in the country.

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