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Mauritania + 9 more

Mauritania: UNHCR Operational Update as of 15 November 2017 [EN/AR]

Attachments

Mauritania hosts over 2,200 urban refugees and asylumseekers and almost 52,000 Malian refugees in Mbera, a camp established in 2012 in the arid south-eastern region close to the Malian border.
Despite the conclusion of a peace agreement in 2015, large-scale returns of Malian refugees are not expected due to persistent violence in northern Mali. In October alone, 689 new arrivals were registered in Mbera.
As the situation in northern Mali continues to be unstable, UNHCR struggles to cope with the growing needs of new arrivals. 500 newly arrived families are currently in need of shelter in Mbera camp.

KEY INDICATORS

3,707
New arrivals from Mali in 2017
713
Voluntary returns to Mali facilitated in 2017
4,979
Malian refugees with specific needs (as of 31 October 2017)

FUNDING (AS OF 15 OCTOBER)
USD 19.8 M
requested for the UNHCR operation in Mauritania

Update on Achievements

Operational Context

In Mauritania, UNHCR provides protection and assistance to 51,828 Malian refugees in Mbera camp in south-eastern Mauritania and to 1,586 urban refugees and 674 asylum-seekers (mainly from the Central African Republic, Syria and Côte d’Ivoire) in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. UNHCR works closely with the Mauritanian authorities towards the development and implementation of a national asylum system. Pending the adoption of a national asylum legislation, UNHCR supports the authorities to enhance refugee protection in Mauritania by improving access to documentation, including birth registration, basic services, such as health and education, as well as economic opportunities. Since 2012, UNHCR has led the humanitarian response for Malian refugees in the Hodh ech Charghi region, in collaboration with the Mauritanian Government, which continues to keep its borders open to new influxes, and in cooperation with other UN agencies, national and international NGOs. Despite the conclusion of a peace agreement in Mali in June 2015, large-scale returns of refugees are not yet expected due to the security situation in northern Mali. In June 2016, Mauritania, Mali and UNHCR concluded a Tripartite Agreement for the voluntary repatriation of Malian refugees. When conditions allow for return, this agreement will provide a framework to facilitate voluntary return. In the meantime, it reaffirms the commitment of Mauritania and Mali to protect refugees.