Despite improving security in Côte d'Ivoire following the end
of the post-election crisis, latest IOM figures on internal
displacement show while many of the displaced in the west of the
country have returned to home villages, tens of thousands still
remain displaced in camps.

Preliminary figures based on an IOM assessment carried out in
mid-June show the numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in
western Côte d'Ivoire now stand at 29,434, scattered in 10
camps managed and coordinated by the Organization.

At the height of the emergency, more than 45,000 persons were
seeking refuge in camps and religious missions situated in the
towns of Guiglo and Douékoué.

The Catholic Mission in Douékoué, which at one
time alone was housing more than 27,500 IDPs sleeping in the open
without adequate food or water, is still sheltering the largest
group of 18,000. The other largest concentration of the remaining
IDPs is at Guiglo's Nazareth Church where 3,500 IDPs are still
taking refuge.

The IOM assessment team say that although many of the IDPs are
willing to return to their home villages, they are discouraged by
prevailing security conditions in some areas of the region and
because they have no home to return to. Some have had their homes
destroyed in the conflict while others have had theirs
occupied.

The findings of the assessment will be used by IOM and partner
organizations such as UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP to plan food,
transport, medical and health assistance for those who wish to
return to their homes.

Elsewhere in the country, IOM will be helping hundreds of
Burkinabé nationals displaced in the Adzopé region,
north of Abidjan.

The Burkinabés were victims of ethnic attacks against
their villages at the height of the political crisis in the country
earlier this year, and have been displaced since. The group are
requesting building materials to reconstruct their homes.

More than 700 people are also displaced in the Eastern region of
the country, near the border with Ghana following last month's
ethnic-related attacks in the area. This had forced thousands of
people to flee, some into Ghana.

Noting a continued and heavy presence of security personnel in
the area, an IOM assessment mission to the area last week
identified 711 IDPs in border town of Noé, seeking shelter
with host families.

These and other IOM efforts to alleviate some of the worst
suffering among IDPs in Côte d'Ivoire, will be boosted by
additional pledges of  AUD 500,000  from the Australian
government and EUR 700,000 from the European Commission's
Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) department.

In March IOM appealed for USD 41.6 million to provide urgently
needed aid to thousands escaping the violence in Côte
d'Ivoire and to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe, and to
date has received USD 2.5 million.

Although the situation in the country is generally calmer, the
immediate and long-term needs of the displaced remain. Those
wishing to return home not only need a new home, but also
livestock, seeds and tools with which to work the land.

Additional funding is also needed to evacuate hundreds of
Guinean conflict-affected families back home. IOM has been
requested by the Guinean Embassy to assist them but so far has not
been able to due to lack of funding.

For further information, please contact:

Jacques Seurt

IOM Abidjan

Tel: +225 04070202

E-mail: "mailto:jseurt@iom.int">jseurt@iom.int 

or

Gabriel Mathieu

Tel: +225 04586538

E-mail: "mailto:gmathieu@iom.int">gmathieu@iom.int