North Africa

2015 year-end information on the North Africa subregion is presented below. A summary of this can also be downloaded in PDF format. This subregion covers the following countries:

Subregion: North Africa

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Latest update of camps and office locations 13 Jan 2016. By clicking on the icons on the map, additional information is displayed.

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Budgets and Expenditure in Subregion North Africa

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2015 {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"budget":[170.300354998,167.92820629,177.198864558,181.220773542],"expenditure":[90.40952572,96.75212898,99.32585745,92.25388047]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[153.305741688,162.87279954,174.738902408,178.952727542],"p2":[0.0688899,2.26498858,0.40996215,0.05],"p3":[null,null,null,null],"p4":[16.92572341,2.79041817,2.05,2.218046]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[85.77810088,96.03934219,98.85414181,90.38762086],"p2":[0.06544535,0.39925112,0.08869164,0.03162106],"p3":[null,null,null,null],"p4":[4.56597949,0.31353567,0.383024,1.83463855]}

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People of Concern - 2015

[["Refugees",371954],["Refugee-like situation",26000],["Asylum-seekers",74395],["IDPs",434869],["Returned refugees",4],["Stateless",22],["Others of concern",2]]

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Plan Overview
Year-End Report

Response in 2015

The North Africa subregion was affected by the on-going population movements and displacement out of Syria, Libya, sub-Saharan Africa, and the East and Horn of Africa. North Africa remained a region of origin, first asylum, transit and destination for refugees and asylum-seekers moving alongside migrants.

UNHCR assisted more than 50,000 Malian refugees in Mberra camp, Mauritania and, taking into consideration the protracted situation, and pressure on the host community and scarce resources, focused on reinforcing the self-reliance of refugees.

UNHCR continued to support 90,000 vulnerable Sahrawi refugees, many of whom have been living in camps near Tindouf, Algeria for the last 40 years. Flooding in October 2015 severely affected the five camps and heightened humanitarian needs. The rest of the refugee and asylum-seeker populations registered with UNHCR in North Africa settled in urban areas, including a large number from sub-Saharan Africa in addition to a growing number from the Syrian Arab Republic (150,000 including some 120,000 Syrian refugees in Egypt).

Funding shortfalls severely affected emergency response and life-saving activities in camps and in urban-setting, where refugees often faced a challenging socio-economic situation.

The security situation in Libya remained unstable and fighting continued across the country. This triggered an increased number of internal displacement. The number of people making the perilous journey to Europe by sea from Libya also remained high. UNHCR regularly updated its contingency plan in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt in response to the changing situation.

Operations

Operations in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia are presented in separate country pages.

In Western Sahara, UNHCR continued its dialogue with all parties to facilitate the resumption of the confidence building measures (CBM) programme, which was suspended in June 2014. Minimum operational capacities were maintained to respond as soon as CBM activities are resumed.

Summary (ENG)

Operational Environment and Strategy

The North Africa subregion remains either a transit or final destination for sizeable mixed migration flows from sub-Saharan Africa. The instability still affecting some parts of the subregion, in particular Libya, continues to generate irregular movements to Europe. Since the start of 2014, UNHCR offices throughout North Africa have witnessed an increase in the number of asylum-seekers.

The ongoing unrest in some countries has created greater protection needs, with increased numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers being arrested and detained, particularly those from sub-Saharan Africa. Terrorist activity in the Sahel and Sinai regions, as well as fighting between rival militia in Libya, have also affected UNHCR’s operations, reducing access to asylum.

Local integration also remains a challenge in the subregion, while the prospects for voluntary repatriation for most refugee groups in the region are limited. The main durable solution for the most vulnerable continues to be resettlement.

Refugees and asylum-seekers in North Africa reside mainly in urban areas (except for camps in Algeria and Mauritania). However, UNHCR’s urban programmes in the countries of the region are relatively small, assisting only a few hundred refugees and asylum-seekers. These populations face difficult social and economic conditions, as they lack legal status and residence permits; the Office helps them gain access to housing and basic social services and works to improve their opportunities to become self-reliant.

In 2015, UNHCR will continue to support building the capacity of local authorities in countries such as Algeria and Morocco as they establish national asylum infrastructure. Once the laws are adopted by national structures, the Office will provide training, conducting workshops and facilitating professional exchanges.

There are some 50,000 Malian refugees at Mauritania’s Mbera Camp, near the Mali border. Movements into the country and spontaneous returns have stabilized. Biometric registration recently completed by UNHCR and the Government has enhanced the protection afforded to this group, by allowing the organization to optimize its interventions. Hopes are rising for a political breakthrough that re-establishes peace in Mali and prompts the start of a repatriation programme. In 2015, close attention will be given to the likelihood of voluntary returns to Mali, while tailoring an appropriate UNHCR response.

The Confidence Building Measures (CBM) programme for Sahrawi refugees in the camps near Tindouf in Algeria will continue in 2015 in an effort to meet the humanitarian needs of families who have been separated for a prolonged period of time. These measures will also reduce the psychological isolation of the refugees, by restoring family and community links. The CBM activities complement the efforts of the United Nations to find a political solution to this protracted refugee situation. More than 20,000 people have benefited from the CBM programme’s family visits. In total, 48,000 people have registered for the programme since its 2004 inception and further expansion will continue in 2015, in addition to cultural seminars.

Response and Implementation

UNHCR’s operations in Algeria, Egypt and Mauritania are covered in separate chapters.

UNHCR will continue to focus on safeguarding and expanding protection space; establishing responsive national asylum systems; and promoting protection-sensitive management of mixed migratory movements.

The organization will seek to expand partnerships with States, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society, to develop fair and efficient legislative and administrative frameworks for asylum. The Office’s strategic priorities remain: delivering life-saving assistance; ensuring protection for all people of concern; seeking durable solutions, including resettlement as a protection tool; and preparing for new emergencies.

In Libya, with the eruption of fighting between rival militia, large numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers without prospects of a durable solution are taking the risk of crossing the Mediterranean with people smugglers. UNHCR will intensify efforts to address such mixed-migration phenomena in a comprehensive manner, working with Governments, IOM and NGOs.

In Morocco, the development and establishment of a national asylum system continues. The Ad-hoc Committee, of which UNHCR is a member, has reviewed several hundred cases and regularized the situation of 835 people of concern, in accordance with international legal standards.

Pending the adoption of an asylum law in Tunisia, a priority for UNHCR will be to maintain sufficient capacity to conduct refugee status determination while building national capacities to assure international protection of refugees and asylum-seekers.

UNHCR will also work to ensure that refugees are granted access to public services in Tunisia. Accordingly, supporting local structures and organizations will be essential to provide protection and assistance, in particular for refugees and asylum-seekers with special needs. In the predominantly urban context, the organization will implement a community-based protection approach, with the support of relevant national and international actors.

Summary (ENG) or Résumé (FR)

Budget and Expenditure
Voluntary Contributions

2015 Budget and Expenditure in North Africa | USD

Operation		Pillar 1 Refugee programme	Pillar 2 Stateless programme	Pillar 4 IDP projects	Total
Algeria	Budget Expenditure	33,227,036 16,010,470	0 0	0 0	33,227,036 16,010,470
Egypt Regional Office	Budget Expenditure	85,120,372 46,409,664	50,000 31,621	0 0	85,170,372 46,441,285
Libya	Budget Expenditure	18,212,314 6,714,574	0 0	2,218,046 1,834,639	20,430,360 8,549,212
Mauritania	Budget Expenditure	24,368,374 13,029,283	0 0	0 0	24,368,374 13,029,283
Morocco	Budget Expenditure	4,166,919 3,065,906	0 0	0 0	4,166,919 3,065,906
Tunisia	Budget Expenditure	6,644,560 3,593,599	0 0	0 0	6,644,560 3,593,599
Western Sahara (Confidence Building Measures)	Budget Expenditure	7,213,152 1,564,125	0 0	0 0	7,213,152 1,564,125
Total	Budget Expenditure	178,952,728 90,387,621	50,000 31,621	2,218,046 1,834,639	181,220,774 92,253,880