Update – southern Africa refugees, IDPs and hosting communities. The second project provided IDPs in northern Mozambique with basic equipment to support agricultural production and small-trading activities. In Zambia, refugees and host communities in Mantapala refugee settlement were included in a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project with an aim to promote rice cultivation and enhance self-reliance. Furthermore, UNHCR established coordination with the World Bank on the International Development Association (IDA-18) sub-window for host communities and refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, allowing for more engagement in beneficiary selection and monitoring. In the Congo (Republic of), UNHCR signed an agreement with the Government to monitor the World Bank’s Lisungi Project 3, and further collaboration was also expected in relation to the IDA-19 sub-window for host communities and refugees. There were also opportunities for a settlement approach and socioeconomic integration in Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia. In Malawi, UNHCR will aim to enhance livelihood support to refugees in camps, despite the Government having reinforced its encampment policy in 2021. Achieving durable solutions In 2021, over 14,000 persons returned to their countries of origin, primarily to Burundi and the Central African Republic from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Zambia, the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Mantapala refugee settlement to Pweto in the Democratic Republic of the Congo commenced, with 300 persons departing in late December 2021 and early January 2022. As restrictions related to the pandemic ease and borders reopen, voluntary repatriation is expected to resume and, in some cases, expand. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, repatriation to Burundi is expected to continue, while plans are in place to support an additional 4,300 persons to return from Zambia. Consultations are ongoing with a view to facilitating voluntary repatriation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the Congo (Republic of) and South Africa. Operations in the region identified 56,000 refugees in need of resettlement in the 2022 planning process, though only 5,300 places are available. In 2021, restrictions related to COVID-19 meant that operations struggled to fulfil quotas, reaching only 59 per cent of the target with 3,105 submissions, while 1,300 persons departed for resettlement. The pandemic also made it challenging to implement resettlement programmes due to delays in the recruitment of personnel. By the end of 2021, however, almost all additional staff needed had been recruited. Other complementary pathways were also explored, including through education, labour migration and family reunification. Prospects for local integration were pursued in Mozambique, where the operation engaged with development actors in refugee-hosting areas. In Zambia, finding solutions for former Angolan and Rwandan refugees, who continued to reside in settlements after cessation, was a priority. For Rwandans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, opportunities for local integration were also pursued. C. Plans for 2022 and financial information Overview - Impact areas In line with UNHCR’s new results-based management framework, operations in the region selected areas of focus for 2022 to make an impact for persons of concern. All operations in 3 The aim of the project is to provide emergency income support to households affected by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis and increase access to safety nets for recovery. 5