UNHCR Niger

Aliou Ag Ibrahi, his wife Rakaye Ahamed and their three children, newly setteled in Tabareybarey refugee camp, Niger (Photo: Louise Donovan, UNHCR Niger)

Exhausted but relieved, the first convoy of new Malian refugees arrived from the border area of Inates to the Tabareybarey refugee camp on Wednesday the 13th of January. They are the first of approximately 2,050 newly arrived refugees who are being assisted in relocating from the border area to the refugee camp. They were warmly greeted by the Camp Manager and humanitarian partners, and immediately given water and a hot meal, after their 4 hour journey. Some of the new arrivals were sick and received immediate medical attention, while a number of separated children were identified, and assistance provided by local protection NGO, Dicko.

“My family and I had to flee from Mali, there was too much violence – the conflict was between different ethnic groups” said Aliou Ag Ibrahim (pictured above), “we were at Inates [close to the Mali border] for about 5 months, we had no shelter and slept outdoors. We are happy to arrive at the camp, we have our own shelter now, the people here gave us a warm welcome when we arrived, my family is safe now”.

UNHCR, with the Nigerien National Eligibility Commission (CNE) are currently carrying out the registration of the 2,050 new arrivals. On the 18th of January, 662 people had been successfully transferred and registered, with more convoys to follow in the coming days. This process includes an interview, a health screening, vaccinations for those requiring them, and interviews to determine protection needs and risks. Partners operating in the camp, including Dicko, APBE, ACTED, QRC, Care International, Plan International, the WFP, and the Luxembourg Red Cross are all contributing to the successful registration and peaceful integration of the new arrivals.

Since the second half of 2015, thousands of new refugees from Mali have been arriving in Niger (for more info see: http://unhcrniger.tumblr.com/post/134067463389/les-familles-nont-dautres-choix-que-de). The current number of registered Malian refugees in Niger is 56,012 (end Dec 2015). However, with the registration of the aforementioned refugees, plus additional refugees awaiting registration in the region of Tahoua, this number is expected to rise, exceeding the highest levels previously recorded at the height of the conflict in Mali in 2012.

A group of newly arrived Malian refugees at Inates in the Tilaberry region, meeting with UNHCR and other humanitarian partners” (Photo UNHCR Tillaberi Office)

________________________________________
This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today’s Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. Further information can be found on the UNHCR websites, www.unhcr.org and www.unhcr.fr, which should also be checked for regular media updates on non-briefing days.

1. Number of Malian refugees in Niger reaches new high despite war’s end

The number of Malian refugees in Niger has reached its highest level since conflict erupted in 2012 in the West African nation, with thousands fleeing eastern Mali in recent weeks despite the signing of a peace accord last June between the government, a loyalist militia and a Tuareg-led rebel coalition.

The signing of the Algiers Accord has brought significant steps towards peace in parts of Mali, but it has not stemmed the flow into Niger and this is a concern and unexpected development that is putting a strain on our operation in Niger.

Those arriving in Niger say they are fleeing because of lawlessness, extortion, food shortages, inter-tribal rivalry, fighting between herders and farmers, and a power vacuum in the absence of a strong government and military presence in the east. The number of Malian refugees in Niger stood at around 50,000 at the height of the 2012-2013 civil war, which ended when French and Malian troops defeated rebel forces. After presidential elections in 2013, UNHCR helped repatriate some 7,000 Malian refugees from Niger. At the start of this year, there were 47,449 registered Malian refugees residing in Niger, with about 5,000 of them urban refugees in Ayorou and the capital Niamey and the rest in five camps in the Tillabéri and Tahoua regions.

But the numbers of arrivals started rising during the year, spiking in October and early November, when an estimated 4,000 Malian refugees crossed to Niger from the sparsely populated east. This brought the total number to a record high of 54,000 registered refugees in early November with a further 3,000 awaiting registration. The majority of the new arrivals have come from rural areas in the regions of Menaka and Anderaboukane. At Inates, where more than 2,000 Malians have recently arrived, female refugees said they fled to escape fighting between the Idourfane and Daoussak tribes. She said their animals had been stolen, their children could not go to school and public infrastructure had been damaged in the absence of national authorities.

The persistent insecurity in the rural zones around Menaka and Ansongo also negatively impacts the food security of the population. For those dependent on livestock, limited access to grazing land threatens their means of subsistence. Coming to Niger to seek assistance may also be a survival strategy.

In the camps in Niger, people who used to live in tents have started replacing them with homes made from mud, indicating they no longer expect a quick return. Some people do want to go back, but their numbers are dwarfed by those heading to Niger. In the first 10 months, we facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 953 refugees. Despite these returns, the number of new arrivals as well as the natural growth of the population has increased the overall refugee population by more than 10 per cent.

The new influx and unprecedented numbers of Malian refugees presents major challenges for UNHCR, which has seen a steady reduction in its operational budget. The evolving situation is the opposite of what we predicted and had prepared for.

As the situation evolves from an emergency into a protracted situation, funds are being decreased from US$300 per capita in 2013 to less than US$150 in 2016. The departure of self-financing NGOs and the phasing-out of support by other UN agencies, is severely straining the capacity of Niger to absorb this additional population. The latest influx comes as a time when UNHCR had planned to be repatriating people or helping them to become self-sufficient. Achievements in the camps, including high school enrolment, good nutritional status and comparatively low poverty levels, are now under strain because of the new arrivals and shrinking budgets.

END

Mangaize Health Centre – new maternity ward under construction (Photo UNHCR. Louise Donovan)

The protracted and complex nature of the conflict in Mali has meant that many refugees in Niger cannot return home or do not wish to. Following the outbreak of the crisis in 2012, Niger witnessed an influx of refugees into the Western part of the country. UNHCR created three refugee camps and two Refugee Hosting Areas (ZARs – Zone d’Acceuil des Refugies) to host these refugees, while many also chose to settle in Niamey. The current number of Malian refugees in Niger is approximately 52,897. Initially emergency services for all basic needs, including water, sanitation, food, shelter and healthcare were provided by the humanitarian community. However, as the situation continues, a new approach must be taken in order to integrate the refugees into the socio-economic fabric of the societies in which they are living. The situation is no longer in an emergency phase, evidenced by the fact that the standards of living have increased significantly in the past three years for Malian refugees living in Niger. For example, in 2012 30% were considered vulnerable, whereas this has decreased significantly to just 20% in 2015. Numerous other indicators, for example school enrollment, access to credit etc. indicate very positive changes for Malian refugees. Therefore the situation is now seen to be in a ‘transition phase’.

Numerous innovative initiatives are being undertaken under the guidance of UNHCR in order to integrate Malian refugees into the societies where they live. Health care is a prime example of this. UNHCR, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Niger, have developed a comprehensive Strategy for Integration of Malian refugees into the Public Health Care system in Niger. This approach is being successfully piloted in both Mangaize and Aballa refugee camps. The objective of the project is to eliminate the need for parallel health provision systems and for refugees to access public health care structures on the same terms as the local host population. As noted by Dr Boubé Issoufou, the Head Doctor in Mangaize health centre, “It’s the best situation, everybody wins…all of the advantages are shared with refugees and local populations. Parallel systems don’t work. All people should be at the same level, as stated by national health protocols”.

UNHCR are aiding this process through the provision of support to the local health centres. Refugees are required to bring their attestation papers when they visit the health centres. The fee for a consultation (900FCFA) is borne by UNHCR. As for the general population, children under five years and pregnant women receive consultations free of charge. In addition to monetary support for consultation fees, assistance is provided in the form of additional staff who are paid by UNHCR at the same level as staff employed directly by the state. Additional medications are provided to the local health centres, as well as an ambulance and fuel for the transport of patients – both from the refugee population and also the local population. Additional funding is received for the construction of necessary buildings, for example a new maternity ward at Mangaize health centre (pictured above). A UNHCR focal point is responsible for the project at each of the centres, who works closely with representatives of the Malian refugee population. Sensitization campaigns are also carried out within the camps to raise awareness amongst the population regarding the benefits of attending the health centre. One of the main changes witnessed amongst the refugee population is their habits - before many were hesitant to attend the clinics, but now many more are attending on a routine basis.

The system aims to promote equality amongst the refugees and the local population. No distinction is made between patients at the health centres, and there has been no conflict between the populations. It is hoped to expand this project to the third camp and the two ZARs in 2016, however logistical issues make this more difficult, as health centres are located farther from the camps and ZARs, however alterative ideas are under discussion. Additional problems also exist, mentioned by members of the Refugee Health Committee in Mangaize camp, particularly regarding shortages of medication available. However these problems are being addressed. This is one of numerous projects focused on the peaceful integration of Malian refugees into Nigerien society. Other projects include Cash for NFIs, livelihood and income generating projects and integration of the parallel water provision systems into the public system.

Ebey Almadi displaying handmade leather crafts made by women’s groups in the camps. In the background Tara Mooussa and Bamchira Mooussa sell small food products from their shelter (© UNHCR. Louise Donovan).

In Mangaize refugee camp – one of the three refugee camps for Malian refugees in the Tilaberry region, groups of women are busy making traditional Malian crafts from leather which they have bought and dyed themselves. They have the money to buy this leather due to a new ‘Cash for NFI’ initiative which was introduced in the camp in July 2015. Prior to the introduction of this new cash based initiative, the population of more than 7,000 people in the Managaize camp received NFIs through a direct distribution system. Although this system covered the basic needs of most of the refugees, it resulted in increased dependency and deprived them of their autonomy and the capacity to choose on what to spend their money. “Now that we have cash, we can go to the market when we want and buy what we want, we can have better quality homes and we can invest our money” says Fatimat Kouti, an elderly female refugee who, like many other women in the camp, is the head of a large household. In fact, the majority of households within the camp are headed by women.

According to the President of the Malian refugees in Mangaize camp - Mohomed Hamoud “the cash transfer system is much better than the distribution. Before, there were issues with people occasionally being forgotten from lists, and due to logistical issues, the distributions were not always regular. However the new system guarantees that every household receives their money every month, nobody is complaining”.

The 10,000FCFA monthly distribution allows households to fulfill their basic needs as regards to NFIs, and also enables them to use remaining money to invest in activities for the future. In Mangaize camp, there are a number of women’s groups who hope to save enough money to open small businesses together to sell their produce. These women’s groups also provide assistance within the camp, through baking cakes and selling small food items and giving the proceeds to elderly people who require special assistance. Others intend to open accounts where they can save a small amount on a monthly basis, to enable them to rebuild their lives and homes when they eventually return home to Mali.

In addition to the successful introduction of the Cash for NFIs project, a new initiative is being piloted in the camps, known as the ‘Contract Approach’. This provides refugees with the option of receiving double the monthly cash distribution for 18 months. In return they must sign a contract that at the end of the 18 month period, they will no longer receive financial assistance. This is integral to UNHCR’s approach for 2016 which encourages integration and independence for refugees. If each household receives 20,000FCFA per month, it will enable them to invest their money in income-generating activities, and eliminate dependency on humanitarian assistance. As stated by the Vice President of the refugees in Mangaize camp – Aminata Isafatame “of course – everyone would prefer to be autonomous, income generating activities take time and investment”. In addition to increasing the monthly cash distribution, NGO partners are carrying out trainings with the refugees on the development of income generating activities and businesses.

The mood amongst the refugees is positive and it is clear that all are planning for the future, whether it be the establishment of a small income generating business which will allow them to provide for themselves without humanitarian assistance, or plans to return home to rebuild their lives once again in Mali.

Ibrahima Maiga Abdourhamane, recipient of DAFI scholarhship for 7 year study of Medicine in Dakar, Senegal (© UNHCR. Louise Donovan)

“I want to become a doctor so that I can make my contribution to society…too many people are dying from preventable diseases amongst the refugee community and the host community here in Niger, I want to help these people.”
Ibrahima Maiga Abdourhamane, recipient of an unprecedented 7 year scholarship to study medicine in Senegal explains why he wants to become a doctor. Ibrahima – 18 years old, is one of four Malian refugee students to be awarded the highly prestigious DAFI scholarship for third level studies overseas. ‘The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative’ (DAFI) scholarships are a German funded initiative which have been awarded to academically high achieving refugee students since 1992.
Ibrahima Maiga Abdourhamane has been living in Niger since fleeing the conflict in Mali in 2012. Despite his traumatic experiences, he realizes the importance of education, and managed to achieve the highest marks in his school. He is the first in his family to study at third level, while he explains that his father who worked in agriculture and manual labour in Mali, is now based in the Mangaize refugee camp, where Ibrahima visits him during school holidays. The Malian urban refugee community living in Niamey were celebrating the news this week, sharing in the good fortune of the four successful recipients. Moussa Hamani, fellow Malian refugee and ‘President des Jeunes Leader’ who has been volunteering with UNHCR for three years shared the sentiment of joy, “We, all of us here are so happy for our brother… the young doctor! Even though he comes from a very vulnerable family, he worked so hard to achieve this.” Of 15 scholarships awarded for 2015/2016 to 15 countries, four of these were awarded to Malian refugees in Niger.
The DAFI scholarships contribute to UNHCR’s overall objective of promoting self-reliance and durable solutions for refugees, through contributing to skills development and empowerment through education. For more information on the DAFI scholarship scheme, see: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4a2dd6.html

In 2013, UNHCR Niger called on the academic institution IFORD (Institute for Training and Demographic Research), based in Yaounde, Cameroon, to carry out an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic profile of the Malian refugee population present in Niger. Two years later, in order to be able to closely observe the evolution of the situation, the exercise was repeated. The results are now available, and are broadly encouraging. Ignace Edgar Mbom, researcher at IFORD, responds to our questions.

Reply: It’s true that the comparative analysis of the living conditions of the Malian refugees in 2013 and today show real transformations. For example: - In terms of education, from their country of origin up to 2015, the interest of households to enroll their children in school has significantly increased, from 50.3% in place of origin to 59.8% in 2013 and 75.9% in 2015. Even if the goal of “Education For All” is not yet reached, real progress is noted in the behavior of parents. For nomads is not always easy to educate their children. But today we can observe that, parents, even when they go out to pasture sites, leave their children without any gender distinction in the camps/ZARs to attend classes. This is a real breakthrough in universal primary education. - In terms of the ownership of property, a restocking can be observed today with nearly 6 out of 10 households that have at least one breeding animal. In comparison, two years ago less than three in 10 households were in possession of such an animal. - Similarly, in comparison with 2013, there is an improvement of more than 7 points in the overall living conditions of Malian refugees in camps/ZARs: 29% of households were considered poor in 2013 against 22% today (Reversely, 71% were ranked as non-poor in 2013 against 78% in 2015). Hence, you may call the socio-economic evolution situation of Malian refugees in Niger a success story.

Reply: IFORD is an intergovernmental institute whose expertise and recognition in Africa and at the global level was rewarded in 2011 with the “United Nations of Excellence Award” for its participation and contribution to development through technical support, research and training in Africa and the world. Our collaboration with other agencies of the UN System including UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNWOMEN, IOM, UNHCR and beyond (World Bank …) reflects the trust and recognition with regard to the seriousness, relevance, quality and the scope of work undertaken by IFORD. In order to preserve and sustain this reputation, requires the Institute, wherever the need arises, to provide accurate and reliable information which reflects realities on the ground, in order to offer partners reliable data.

Reply: We can say that the situation is generally better in ZARs (Intikane and Tazalite) than in camps or in urban environments. And this despite the fact that the general food ration has been reduced to 50% for the majority of the households in the ZARs.

Reply: The case of Intikane, where as previously noted, food assistance has already been significantly reduced over the last year, demonstrates that despite this reduction the living conditions have so far not at all deteriorated. The refugees have been able so far to adapt to this new situation to the point of not considering an imminent return to their places of origin.

Reply: I have introduced IFORD further up in this conversation. We are hence well placed to accompany UNHCR, the Niger government, and the NGO partners in their decision making in planning, monitoring and evaluation.

Where are the men? In Mali? Probably. In the age bracket of 20-39 years, the ratio of men to women is 5.7 men for every 10 women. An analysis of the adaptation strategies of the households shared between the two sides of the border remains necessary.
A greater use of the formal health care system: In 2015 less than 13.4% of households do not have recourse to a health structure when they are sick compared to 40.9% in 2013. The fact that health services are free of charge and close to the camps/ZAR are important factors in this context. This also reflects a behavioural change which will probably be sustainable. Today, waiting times that are too long are the principal reason for people not to seek care in case of illness. This element requires special attention in the strategy for the integration of Malian refugees into the public health care system. To accompany the health structures with an effort to smoothen the flow of patients is unavoidable.
High satisfaction rates despite being below SPHERE standards: An estimated 92.3% of households have access to a sufficient quantity of drinking water for human consumption. During the month of July, in the three refugee camps and the two Refugee Hosting Areas (ZARs), an average of 19 liters of water per day per person was available. A portion of the water available in the camps and the Refugee Hosting Areas is used by the refugees for watering their animals. In Intekan refugees can buy water for their animals. In humanitarian assistance, the standard levels established are 20 liters per day per person.

The challenge of shelters: The state of shelters needs constant improvement. However, in 2013 52.5% of the heads of households reported that their shelters were in a poor state, compared to just 35.5% today. Despite this positive development, the challenge of maintaining good standards for shelters remains, in particular at the camps in Tillabery which are particularly vulnerable to weather conditions. Some households are even beginning to construct their shelters from semi-permanent materials. In addition to the cost, the desire to replace temporary shelters (mainly tents) with houses requires a broader reflection by the Nigerien authorities and its partners.
Food purchased with vouchers can meet the food needs for a longer time than in-kind food distributed: The distribution of food rations is not the preference of the refugees. Food assistance through a voucher system – like in Mangaize refugee camp - allows more choice for refugees. In addition, food purchased through vouchers meets the needs of refugee households for a longer time, even though the value of a voucher (in theory) is equal to that of a food ration. The use of vouchers highlights the economic rationality of households in meeting their food needs. 42.5% of households in Mangaize assure that the food that they acquire with the vouchers allows them to meet their food needs for more than three weeks, compared to just 27.5% for the other camps in Tillabery.

A Malian refugee father and daughter, Mohammed and Fadimata, with their refugee attestation in Niamey. (Photo ©UNHCR/Boubacar Younoussa Siddo)

Everybody needs an identity document and – if the person is a foreigner – a residence permit for the country in which he/she is living. Since 2012 each household of Malian refugees holds an “Refugee Attestation” that serves these purposes. While UNHCR and the Niger government were in the process of registering the Malian population, including taking pictures and digital fingerprints, the validity of these attestations was limited to six months. This obliged the refugees to spent a lot of their time in renewing this document.
Following discussions between UNHCR and the Director-General for Civil Registration and Refugees (DGEC-R), the Ministry of Interior has now taken the decision to change the attestation renewal procedures and extend the validity to 12 months. Approximately 50,000 Malian refugees, living in about 11,000 households, will benefit from this decision.
Says Karl Steinacker, UNHCR Representative in Niger: “UNHCR welcomes this decision by the Government as it will not only help refugees to gain time, but it will also free the staff of both UNHCR and the Directorate General to work on other pressing issues relating to the welfare of the Malian refugees”.

Les représentants des réfugiés des camps de Tillabery et des zones d’accueil de Tahoua. © UNHCR / B. Younoussa Siddo

La signature des accords de Paix pour le Nord du Mali est prévue le 15 mai 2015 à Bamako. Le Gouvernement Malien a invité trois représentants des réfugiés vivant au Niger. Tous étaient cependant de passage à Niamey. L’occasion était offerte de discuter avec eux de leurs ressentis avant la date tant attendue.
L’optimisme est globalement d’humeur parmi les représentants des réfugiés. Mais cet optimisme trouve plus son essence dans l’espérance que chacune des parties fera des concessions que dans la certitude d’une sortie de crise. « C’est notre dernière chance donc nous sommes optimistes de trouver une solution au problème malien. La seule alternative est la collaboration de tous » précise Alousseini Mohamed de la zone d’accueil de Tazalite.
Tous croient que la signature de cet accord est la première étape pour aller vers la paix mais sont aussi conscients que cela ne réglera pas la situation dans le nord du Pays. Comme l’explique Faissal Ag Mohamed de la zone d’accueil d’Intikane « il y a eu Alger, et avant il y a eu Ougadougou. On sait que la signature à elle seule ne peut reconstituer la paix. Chacune des parties n’est pas claire sur ses objectifs et ses exigences ». « Cet accord ne peut être un véritable accord que si les parties s’engagent par la suite à respecter ce sur quoi elles ont signé » souligne Mohamed Hamadou Aktawindi du camp de Mangaize.
Si le 15 mai était un échec, pour les réfugiés ils n’y a pas vraiment d’alternative. « En cas de non-accord, ce que vraiment nous ne souhaitons pas, nous resterons au Niger » confirme Sikiwata Boubacar du camp d’Abala. Mais en cas d’accord, le retour est prévu pour quand ? La réponse est moins évidente.

Aminata Adama and her family, TabareyBarey refugee camp, Niger. photo @UNHCR / Victoria Vidal

Mister M’Baow hails from Gao, in northern Mali. Since 2012 he is one of the many Malian refugees in Tabareybarey camp who are dreaming of going back home. He lives in one shelter with his eleven family members. Since last year he registered three times to go back to Gao. Each time he withdrew his return application because of last minute information, received through the radio or from fellow stallholders in the market, that the situation in Mali has gotten worse again. He says that he will patiently wait in Tabareybarey, but he misses home and his activities: “I am sitting idle all day, looking for things to happen. However, I can send my children to school and feel safe inside the camp”.

Fatimata finds herself in a similar situation. Fatimata comes originally from Ansongo and saw her parents killed in front of her and the herd of animals on which the family depends wiped out by insurgents. “I am left with nothing, They took everything from me” she says. She also put her name on the return list several times. But eventually she decided that for the safety of her children she will stay in Niger until calm comes back to her home town in Mali.

UNHCR has completed a survey among the inhabitants of the three Malian refugee camps in Tillabery Region on their intentions to return. The results are showing that globally 54% of camp inhabitants haven’t taken a decision yet and prefer “to wait and see”. An additional 14% have stated their will to remain in camps for, at least) the next twelve months. On the other hand, 34% - or 9,000 people – stated that they intend to return soon during the coming months. In general, the population of Tabareybarey camp seems more inclined to return than in other camps. This might be linked to the situation in Ansongo district which is not, like neighbouring Ménaka, controlled by armed groups.

The recent failure of the Algiers Peace Talks has not re-assured the Malian refugees living in Niger. This is why it remains doubtful that Aminata, a mother of five, will return anytime soon. She also put her name down several times in order to return with UNHCR’s assistance. But each time her family and friends urged her not to leave the camp due to the continuous insecurity in Northern Mali.

Click here to see the detailed results of the survey: http://data.unhcr.org/SahelSituation/download.php?id=1150