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Thousands of people had to flee their homes when Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique in 2019. In its aftermath, the government resettled more than 80,000 people from high-risk areas to safer ground. This article analyses resettlement as a durable solution to disaster response. The question of durable resettlement due to climate-related displacement is especially pertinent in the light of ongoing climate change. Based on empirical research, we show that, although the government succeeded in providing a short-term response to the disaster, there are two major impediments to using resettlement as a durable solution: the lack of citizen participation in the decision-making process leading to resettlement; and the gap between the short-term humanitarian perspective and a longer-term development viewpoint. Resettlement can hardly be seen as a durable solution to climate-related displacement as long as key principles are not respected.

Due to prolonged conflict, millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have fled their homes to seek refuge elsewhere, especially in the east of the country. The majority of these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) flee to cities and other local communities rather than to displacement camps. Bukavu, the capital of the South-Kivu province, is a case in point. In recent years, Bukavu grew rapidly due to the influx of IDPs and other migrants – mostly from the nearby districts. Yet, in the city, IDPs largely fend for themselves, and many experience socio-economic precarity. Connectivity is one of the ways in which IDPs can improve their situation. The first and most important connection that IDPs mobilise upon arrival are familial ties. It is from here that they start a 'chain of connectivity' on the road towards local integra- tion. Our research in Bukavu shows that many people depend on others in being or becoming self-reliant: They get access to employment, housing or basic services through their networks. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 4

In the quest for sustainable solutions to record global displacement, promoting displaced persons' self-reliance and supporting them alongside host communities in regions of displacement have become buzzwords in global and European policy discussions. But despite such pledges, TRAFIG research in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) finds that internally displaced persons (IDPs) in urban settings are largely ignored and unassisted by the state and international humanitarian and development interventions—and are proactively seeking their own solutions. The lack of institutionalised assistance means that IDPs mostly depend on the solidarity of others to be or become self-reliant. In this context, networks are a particularly important source of support and include assistance with locating housing and finding a job in Bukavu and with maintaining and harvesting crops in communities of origin. However, even with the benefits that these connections can bring, IDPs face serious challenges related to their displacement and contend with multiple types of limbo, making it difficult for many to truly overcome situations of protracted displacement. Findings thus point to the need for policies and practices that support urban IDPs in the DRC by helping them nurture and leverage their networks to unlock opportunities. The Policy Brief comes up with four central findings and recommendations: While networks constitute a significant source of support, for too many IDPs, such assistance is only temporary or insufficient to really overcome displacement. Humanitarian and development initiatives should aim to bolster resilient connections, which include informal (e.g.host families) and formal (e.g. churches and labour associations) networks. Many urban IDPs leverage resources in their home communities to make a living in the city. Development actors should support IDPs' efforts to maintain ties with their communitiesof origin and safeguard mobility between Bukavu and the surrounding rural regions. Not every IDP has a ...

People that are forced to live away from their homes for five years or more – such as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs) – are said to live in a situation of protracted displacement. In 2018 it was reported that 78% of all refugees live in protracted displacement. This is a very challenging state. Most are vulnerable and highly dependent on external support from governments, NGOs or relatives. They also have insecure legal statuses and don't have the ability – or opportunity – to rebuild their lives because of scarce economic resources, the legal framework that regulates their lives or societies that don't welcome them. In many cases, they can neither return home nor move on to other countries, nor really integrate in the country of reception. We've been carrying out research that explores the experiences and solutions for protracted displaced populations around the world. Specifically, we examine the rules that dictate people's ability to work, where they live, options for family reunification, and access to accommodation, education and health care. We found that international and host country policies don't adequately address the challenges posed by forced displacement across the world.