Lome, Togo - Togo has decided to grant refugee status to Ivorians fleeing post-election violence in their country, according to a statement issued Wednesday evening in Lome, after the Council of Ministers' meeting. The statement said President Faure Gnassingbe has expressed 'his concern at the deterioration of the post-election situation in Côte d'Ivoire, which will surely affect other countries of the sub-region, and authorized the National Commission for Refugees to grant them refugee status.'

The High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has already identified nearly 300 refugees comprising men, women and children, who have fled to Togo, which is feeling the effects of the crisis through the influx of Ivorian nationals even though it does not share border with Cote d'Ivoire.

In 2002, many Ivorians fleeing their country's civil war also took refuge in Togo.

Pana 10/03/2011