REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC COUNCIL : EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENT REFUGEES - REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

AID CONTRIBUTION TO FUND WILL HELP FINANCE FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND LOCAL CURRENCY COSTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES, AS WELL AS UNCHR OPERATING COSTS, REQUIRED TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF STUDENT REFUGEES IN BOTSWANA. SINCE AID FUNDS WILL BE CO-MINGLED WITH OTHER DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND, PROCUREMENT RESTRICTIONS WILL BE WAIVED (HANDBOOK 15 REGULATIONS) TO PERMIT PROCUREMENT FROM GEOGRAPHIC CODE 935 SOURCES. TRUST FUND WILL SUPPORT PROVISION OF BURSARIES SCHOLARSHIPS) TO SOME 50 STUDENT REFUGEES AND SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF A HOSTEL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA TO HOUSE 72 REFUGEE STUDENTS. DESPITE OVERCROWDING OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE GOVERNMENT OF BOTSWANA HAS AGREED THAT 960 PLACES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENT REFUGEES IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD MEET THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS OF THESE STUDENTS. TO FURTHER THIS END, THE TRUST FUND WILL PROVIDE BURSARIES FOR 960 STUDENTS AND SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF TWO NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS, EACH WITH A CAPACITY OF 480 STUDENTS. REFUGEE STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ISOLATED IN THESE TWO SCHOOLS, BUT DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE THIRD ACTIVITY PROPOSED FOR TRUST FUND SUPPORT IS CONSTRUCTION OF A RECEPTION TRANSIT CENTER IN THE VICINITY OF GABORONE, TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION TO REFUGEES WHO ENTER BOTSWANA FOR ASYLUM OR EDUCATION, OR WHO ARE IN TRANSIT TI ANOTHER COUNTRY.