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  3. North Africa

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:
 

| Algeria | Egypt | Libya | Mauritania | Morocco | Tunisia | Western Sahara | 

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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View footnotes

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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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. 

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.

2015 Budget and Expenditure in North Africa | USD

Operation Pillar 1
Refugee programme		 Pillar 2
Stateless programme		 Pillar 3
Reintegration projects		 Pillar 4
IDP projects		 Total
Algeria Budget
Expenditure		33,227,036
16,010,470		0
0		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		0
0		85,170,372
46,441,285
Libya Budget
Expenditure		18,212,314
6,714,574		0
0		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		0
0		24,368,374
13,029,283
Morocco Budget
Expenditure		4,166,919
3,065,906		0
0		0
0		0
0		4,166,919
3,065,906
Tunisia Budget
Expenditure		6,644,560
3,593,599		0
0		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		0
0		7,213,152
1,564,125
Total Budget
Expenditure		178,952,728
90,387,621		50,000
31,621		0
0		2,218,046
1,834,639		181,220,774
92,253,880
View footnotes

2015 Voluntary Contributions to North Africa | USD

Earmarking / Donor Pillar 1
Refugee programme		 Pillar 4
IDP projects		 All
pillars		 Total
North Africa overall
Canada 00786,782 786,782
Liechtenstein 00102,881 102,881
United States of America 005,800,000 5,800,000
North Africa overall subtotal 006,689,663 6,689,663
Algeria
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 1,600,00000 1,600,000
European Union 1,679,30700 1,679,307
Italy 221,23900 221,239
Private donors in Germany 264,55000 264,550
Private donors in Spain 4,77800 4,778
Spain 636,79500 636,795
Sweden 526,67100 526,671
United States of America 2,450,00004,800,000 7,250,000
Algeria subtotal 7,383,33804,800,000 12,183,338
Egypt Regional Office
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 299,97500 299,975
Germany 402,68500 402,685
Kuwait 14,000,00000 14,000,000
Norway 00261,203 261,203
Private donors in Germany 202,47500 202,475
Private donors in Switzerland 20300 203
Switzerland 1,776,39000 1,776,390
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 248,72000 248,720
United States of America 14,985,00003,000,000 17,985,000
Egypt Regional Office subtotal 31,915,44703,261,203 35,176,650
Libya
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 01,491,0120 1,491,012
Denmark 300,00000 300,000
European Union 1,381,604399,9060 1,781,509
Germany 2,192,98200 2,192,982
Italy 537,28100 537,281
Spain 242,83300 242,833
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 690,88700 690,887
United States of America 001,800,000 1,800,000
Libya subtotal 5,345,5871,890,9181,800,000 9,036,504
Mauritania
Belgium 1,402,91800 1,402,918
Japan 3,200,00000 3,200,000
Norway 00261,203 261,203
Private donors in Japan 30,24500 30,245
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 25,80000 25,800
Mauritania subtotal 4,658,9630261,203 4,920,166
Morocco
Monaco 187,73500 187,735
Switzerland 342,52500 342,525
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 192,29400 192,294
Morocco subtotal 722,55300 722,553
Tunisia
European Union 14,37500 14,375
Switzerland 758,38700 758,387
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 395,15600 395,156
Tunisia subtotal 1,167,91700 1,167,917
Western Sahara (Confidence Building Measures)
Finland 137,93100 137,931
Morocco 0024,656 24,656
Western Sahara (Confidence Building Measures) subtotal 137,931024,656 162,587
Total 51,331,7371,890,91816,836,725 70,059,379
Note: Includes indirect support costs that are recovered from contributions to Pillars 3 and 4, supplementary budgets and the “New or additional activities – mandate-related” (NAM) Reserve.