Niger

Working environment    

• In February 2015, the first cross-border incursion in the Diffa region and in the vicinity of Bosso resulted in growing insecurity. A state of emergency was subsequently declared.
• The Government of Niger ordered that the Lake Chad islands be evacuated, resulting in the internal and external displacement of some 130,000 individuals, including Nigerians.
• Throughout the year, the Government conducted military operations near the border with Nigeria, causing internal displacement in the Diffa region.
• Beginning in August 2015, intercommunal conflicts in the north of Mali triggered an influx of some 6,900 Malian refugees to Niger.
• The management of the protection and camp sectors, namely in Malian refugees camps and hosting areas, was handed over to national implementing partners.

Population trends    

• 68,000 Nigerian refugees were present in the country at year end. 
• 56,012 Malian refugees were hosted in the country at year end. The 20 per cent increase in the number of these refugees was due to the arrival of 6,900 individuals in 2015. The voluntary return of some 1,100 Malian refugees was facilitated by UNHCR.
• A total of 400 refugees and 110 asylum-seekers of various other nationalities were also present in Niger.
• The number of internally displaced (IDPs) people rose dramatically in 2015, from 40,000 to an estimated 137,000 IDPs in the Diffa region at the end of the year.

Achievements and impact    

• 1,600 Malian refugee households in Mangaize camp benefited from an 18-month pilot project on cash-based assistance. 
• Over 10,000 IDP households and 18,000 Malian refugee women and girls were assisted during core relief items fairs and through cash and voucher interventions.
• Approximately 100,000 people benefited from the construction of four water supply networks, which provided host communities with access to safe potable water in rural areas of the Diffa region.
• Some 420 Nigerian refugee households benefited from income-generating activities, namely for raising livestock. 
• 1,100 refugee youth and women were trained in trading and crafts. 
• As part of a social safety net programme’s protection strategy, 4,000 people, including IDPs, host communities and refugees, received monthly cash-based assistance in the Diffa region.  

Unmet needs    

• Due to funding constraints, self-reliance and livelihood projects were only partially implemented, affecting the resilience of refugees and their potential integration in the host country.
• The first phase of the urbanization project implementing in the Diffa region, providing refugees and/or returnees with a plot, shelter support and official land titles from the government, was completed. However, the second phase, during which the construction of 2,000 family homes was planned, could not be carried out given growing insecurity.

 

Working environment  

While the authorities and host population provide substantial support to refugees, particularly for out-of-camp refugees in the Diffa region, the country’s precarious socio-economic situation and limited basic social services have had a negative impact on peaceful coexistence between local communities and refugees. Food insecurity and malnutrition remain of concern to UNHCR and partners.

In northern Mali, after a short period of calm, rising insecurity and tension have led to the arrival of approximately 4,200 new Malian refugees since May 2014. Meanwhile, since the beginning of 2014, more than 6,700 Malian refugees living in Niger have returned home. Niger is currently hosting approximately 37,000 Malian refugees. While conditions do not support massive returns home, UNHCR will, in consultation with host countries and Malian authorities, provide refugees willing to return home with information on the situation in areas of origin, as well as repatriation assistance.

The deteriorating security situation in north-eastern Nigeria has caused several population movements into Niger, including refugees from Nigeria and citizens of Niger who were living in Nigeria and have returned. New arrivals are spread across hundreds of towns and islands on Lake Chad on a vast territory with a poor road network. Accessing these populations poses signi­ficant operational and security challenges, and is costly.

Needs and strategies

UNHCR’s strategy in 2015 will focus on strengthening Malian refugees’ self-reliance and resilience, though the organization will maintain adequate levels of assistance and protection for those who need it. As the situation in Mali stabilizes, and if conditions permit, UNHCR will support the voluntary, safe, and dignifi­ed return of approximately 10,000 refugees. The organization will also continue to enhance community empowerment and self-reliance for some 3,000 Niger nationals living in camps.

In the Diffa region, which hosts Nigerian refugees and Niger returnees, UNHCR will continue to offer basic emergency assistance, such as shelter, health, water, food and non-food items, as well as protection. It will also seek to boost socio-economic empowerment by strengthening basic social services. Where displaced populations are living with host communities, UNHCR will adopt an out-of-camp approach that will include the provision of land titles to benefi­ciaries and sustainable shelter solutions. Building the resilience of individuals and maintaining peaceful coexistence between the host community and the displaced population will be a priority for UNHCR and partners in 2015.