United Nations Resident Coordinator to Zimbabwe, Dr Rosemary Kalapuraka, has appealed for greater international support to help Zimbabwe cope with the growing influx of citizens returning from South Africa, saying the humanitarian situation at Beitbridge Border Post extends far beyond statistics and demands long-term investment in reintegration.
Kalapuraka made the remarks on Thursday after touring the Beitbridge Border Post with Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe, where they witnessed the scale of the return migration, with thousands of Zimbabweans crossing back into the country since late May.
The visit culminated in the signing of a Joint Resource Mobilisation Plan between the government and the UN aimed at supporting the repatriation, reception and long-term reintegration of returnees.
The initiative seeks to shift the response from emergency humanitarian assistance to sustainable programmes that help returnees rebuild their lives after arriving home.
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“Over the past several weeks, I have attended meetings and reviewed many reports on the growing movement of people returning to Zimbabwe from South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post. Today, I was humbled to see the situation for myself alongside the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe,” Dr Kalapurakal said.
Since 28 May 2026 it has been reported that authorities have facilitated the repatriation of more than 33 000 Zimbabweans through Beitbridge Border Post, while a further 70 000 have returned independently through the same port of entry.
While officials have closely tracked the numbers, Dr Kalapurakal said the visit reinforced the crisis is ultimately about people whose lives have been disrupted.
“The local authorities provided meticulous, data-filled reports on various dimensions of the challenges and the response. But what struck me most was the human reality behind the statistics: mothers carrying children, young people anxious about their future, and families arriving home with little more than a few possessions and many uncertainties about what comes next,” she said.
The UN diplomat described the reception centre as a place where the full spectrum of human experience unfolds daily.
“In the surge of people moving through the reception centre, one witnesses the full spectrum of human experience. Babies are born here. Unaccompanied children reunited with their families. Poignantly, our briefing today began with a moment of silence for two people who had not survived the journey,” Dr Kalapurakal said.
“It was a sobering reminder that this is far more than a border crossing. It is a place where human dignity must be protected every day.:”
Dr Kalapurakal commended the Zimbabwean government, humanitarian organisations and development partners for mounting “a large-scale and coordinated response” despite increasing pressure on available resources.
She noted authorities have been coordinating transport, healthcare, protection services and reintegration programmes while also assisting tens of thousands of Malawian nationals transiting through Zimbabwe on their journey home.
“The government of Zimbabwe, working with humanitarian and development partners, has mounted a response of remarkable scale, coordinating reception, transport, health, protection and reintegration support under challenging circumstances,” she said.
Dr Kalapurakal also acknowledged the contribution of UN agencies and other partners operating at Beitbridge.
She said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has taken a leading role in coordinating assistance, supported by UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO), working alongside local authorities, civil society organisations and private-sector partners.
Together, they are providing food, temporary shelter, healthcare, child protection, psychosocial support, communications and operational coordination.
Despite those efforts, Dr Kalapurakal warned the humanitarian response is coming under increasing strain as more people continue to arrive.
“Current trends suggest that movements may continue in the coming weeks, making preparedness and forward planning more important than ever,” she said.
“With women and children accounting for the majority of arrivals, protection, health and social service demands continue to increase. Reception facilities are under pressure, with attendant health and environmental risks.”
However, she stressed the greatest challenge begins after returnees leave the reception centre.
“We know the real challenge begins when people return to their communities. They must reconnect with family, find livelihoods, access services, enroll children in school and rebuild a sense of belonging,” said the UN diplomat.
“Reintegration is therefore not only a humanitarian issue. It is a development imperative.”
It is this recognition, Dr Kalapurakal said, which informed the signing of the Joint Resource Mobilisation Plan between the government and the UN.
“That is why a key outcome of today’s visit was the signing of a Joint Resource Mobilisation Plan between the Government of Zimbabwe and the United Nations to support the repatriation, reception and reintegration of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa. The initiative reflects our shared commitment to move beyond immediate assistance and invest in long-term solutions.”
Dr Kalapurakal thanked governments, donors and humanitarian partners already supporting the response through funding, technical assistance and operational assistance, but appealed for broader international solidarity.
“Every person crossing that border carries more than their belongings. They carry skills, aspirations, responsibilities and hope for the future,” she said, adding that investing in reintegration would not only benefit returning migrants but also strengthen Zimbabwe’s future.
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