Plans needed for Zimbabwe exodus

Many Zimbabweans are fleeing illegally into South Africa

The head of the UN refugee agency has told the BBC that contingency plans are needed in case the exodus of refugees from Zimbabwe increases.

Antonio Guterres called for increased assistance from the international community to help Southern Africa cope.

He said the UNHCR estimates that there are more than three million displaced Zimbabweans in the region.

More and more people are fleeing the worsening economic and political situation in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans are struggling to find even the most basic goods on shop shelves, as an economic crisis pushes inflation above 4,500% and unemployment is estimated at more than 80%.

Mr Guterres was at the end of a four-day tour of Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa to assess the refugee situation, where he said the situation was complex.

There are many people seeking asylum in the region, and it is often difficult to tell who is a migrant, refugee, smuggler and trafficker, he said.

Vulnerable

Mr Guterres told the BBC's Network Africa that refugees come into neighbouring countries "because they need to survive to a certain extent, to find food security, to try to find some kind of economic activity that they cannot find in their own country."

And in those cases, such as the one with Zimbabweans in Southern Africa, more needs to be done by the international humanitarian community to provide assistance to the most vulnerable, he explained.

Mr Guterres said the UNHCR estimates that over 3m have fled

"So we have worked together with our offices in the region to be prepared for things that we hope will not happen."

Mr Guterres said that movement out of Zimbabwe has been happening for many years, but that because of the recent unstable situation, more people have fled.

He also said the general attitude in Southern Africa toward refugees was a positive one - asylum systems are being developed, several countries are offering the possibility of local integration and authorities are sharing resources.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch criticised the leaders of Southern Africa for failing to take concrete measures to meet the crisis in Zimbabwe at their recent summit, describing it as a squandered opportunity.

The opposition in South Africa has called for refugee camps to be established, but the government has said they are not needed.