MORE than 500 Congolese refugees were yesterday repatriated to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from Zambia, bringing the total number of refugees that have left the country since May to 15, 660.

Zambia currently hosts 34,671 Congolese refugees, with 17,959 of them in the camps of Mwange and Kala in the far north of the country and in Meheba and Mayukwayukwa in the Western and North-Western provinces.

The rest are settled among Zambians, including a few living in urban areas. Most of the Congolese refugees fled to Zambia a decade ago at the height of the civil strife in DRC.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister, David Phiri, who was the guest of honour at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)-organised repatriation exercise, thanked the UN agency for the milestone achieved in the Congolese repatriation exercise.

Mr Phiri described the voluntary repatriation exercise as the most preferred durable solution to the plight of refugees.

According to a statement released by the UNHCR in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Phiri said efforts should be exerted to ensure that more Congolese refugees in Zambia were assisted to return home.

Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Ndiyoi Mutiti and commissioner for refugees, Jacob Mphepo accompanied the deputy minister.

The ambassadors accredited to Zambia who attended the ceremony were from the United States (US), European Commission, Denmark and Brazil.

Others in attendance were the World Food Programme (WFP) country director, Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR representative in Zambia.

The 502 Congolese refugees were repatriated from Northern Province's Mpulungu harbour to Moba and Kalemie in the DRC, bringing the total number of Congolese refugees who have returned from Zambia since May 2009 to 15,660.

In 2007, some 7,323 Congolese were repatriated while in 2008, 9,700 returned to the DRC.

UNHCR representative, James Lynch expressed satisfaction at the pace of the Congolese voluntary repatriation.

Mr Lynch urged more Congolese refugees to come forward and repatriate before the programme concludes at the end of December.

"I congratulate everyone involved in the repatriation exercise, particularly the Government, our staff in the field, our donors, IOM and WFP for this success.

"I call on more Congolese refugees to take advantage of the remaining days to repatriate. UNHCR stands ready to assist any Congolese refugee who comes forward to repatriate," Mr Lynch said.

EU head of delegation, Derek Fee said funding was increasingly being channelled towards supporting reintegration activities in the DRC.

Dr Fee appealed to more Congolese refugees in Zambia to return home where donors would assist them in re-integrating.

US ambassador to Zambia, Donald Booth thanked the Government for the hospitality it had extended to refugees over the years, and urged the Congolese refugees to consider voluntary repatriation now that there was peace in their country.