Sunday, October 21, 2012
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will construct a new camp in Ethiopia to accommodate increasing numbers of Somali refugees in the country, the agency's spokesperson Andrej Mahecic announced in Geneva Friday (October 19th).
"With people still arriving at Dollo Ado, the Ethiopian government has authorised the opening of a sixth site and land has been designated for this between the town of Kole and Kobe camp, some 54 kilometres north of Dollo Ado town," Mahecic said.
The camp will cost an estimated $5 million to open, according to Mahecic, and UNHCR has requested $1.5 million from donors to fund initial construction. This year, UNHCR has received $44 million of the more than $112 million it requested for refugee-related activities.
Dollo Ado is the second largest camp for Somalis, after Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex. Dollo Ado's population reached 170,000 last week as Somalis continue to flee violence and instability, according to UNHCR.