Côte d'Ivoire

Year-end Overview

Plan Overview

Working environment

 
Côte d’Ivoire is a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1967 Protocol and to the 1969 Organization of African Unity Convention related to refugees. The constitution provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with international obligations. Côte d’Ivoire has a long history of welcoming refugees and migrants, and, despite tensions related to national identity, and the conflict within the country, it has kept its borders open to those seeking protection.
 
The Government of Côte d’Ivoire has demonstrated its commitment to the cause of statelessness, by acceding to the two international conventions on statelessness in 2013, and by adopting the Abidjan Declaration in 2015. Côte d’Ivoire also adopted a special law allowing a certain group of people, including stateless people, to acquire Ivoirian nationality by declaration. Nationality Code (adopted in 1961 and provides for nationality to be attributed to every person born in Côte d’Ivoire unless both parents are “foreigners” (étrangers)) reform is imperative and with the election of new parliament in December 2016, implementing the advocacy strategy is a top priority. The National Action Plan to eradicate statelessness is in the process of adoption by the government, defining the roles and responsibilities of all actors including that of the government.
 
The communal elections taking place in [add month] 2017 are expected to confirm the country’s return to stability. However, the retreat of UNOCI and UNMIL, recent mutinies and social unrest in early 2017 suggest that tensions remain. As such, targeted efforts continue to be required in 2018 in the areas of transitional justice, consolidation of social cohesion, and reform of the security sector. In the light of results obtained by protection monitoring, the reintegration needs of returnees remain significant.
 
In March 2017, UNHCR presented its protection strategy for the year 2018 to the Ivorian government, as well as to the development and humanitarian actors. The strategy was adopted and the Ivorian government reiterated its commitment to support UNHCR’s activities in 2018, notably through the inclusion of people of concern in its national programmes. These include compensations for victims of the post-election crises, a youth employment programme, and the implementation of the national action plan for eradicating statelessness.
 
 

Key priorities

 
In 2018, UNHCR will focus on:

• Ensuring access to refugee status determination procedures and documentation, including travel documents with the Government.
• Strengthening the capacity of the administrative authorities with regard to refugee protection legislation.
• Developing and implementing a strategy for local integration of refugees
• Conducting advocacy for Nationality Code reform to ensure nationality for stateless children, historic migrants and their descendants who have a link with Côte d’Ivoire (birth, residence etc.).
• Advocating for the extension of special law to be made more accessible to stateless persons, by reducing evidentiary standards.
• Supporting late birth certificates to persons at risk of statelessness.
• Supporting vulnerable Ivoirian returnees in process of reintegration with shelter, livelihoods, documentation and SGBV.