Staff Reporter
ALL asylum seekers and refugees residing in Namibia are urged to participate in the Ministry of Home Affairs’ ongoing verification exercise to confirm their refugee status and ensure their eligibility for support services.
This was announced by Nghidinua Daniel, Executive Director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security. He warned that failure to complete the process would lead to deactivation from the system and loss of access to services provided by the Ministry and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The verification process began on 27 April 2026 and will continue until 15 May 2026 at the Osire Refugee Settlement. Another verification exercise will take place at the United Nations (UN) Plaza in Windhoek from 11 to 13 May 2026.
“All asylum seekers and refugees registered with Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security and UNHCR are required to present themselves for this exercise. Failure to attend will result in deactivation from the system and ineligibility for services provided by these institutions,” Daniel said.
He stressed that all family members must attend, as the process will involve collecting biometric data from individuals aged 16 years and older, as well as taking updated photographs of all family members.
“Participants are required to bring any identification documents in their possession to verify their identity and family composition, where applicable. Asylum seekers and refugees who are unable to attend due to compelling personal reasons (such as justified medical conditions) must submit a written communication to the Commissioner of Refugees before the end of the exercise period, so that alternative; arrangements maybe considered,” Daniel said.
The verification exercise is especially significant in light of challenges reported last year at Osire Camp, where more than 100 refugees claimed they had not received the financial assistance due to them from the UNHCR, while some individuals who were no longer refugees in Namibia were allegedly still listed as beneficiaries.
The UNHCR initially confirmed these claims at the time, citing limited funding and noting that eligibility criteria had also changed. However, a staff member of the UNHCR in Namibia was later arrested for allegedly withdrawing large sums of money suspected to have been part of the refugees’ financial aid.
File photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo: File
