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This report provides an overview of the past six months of UNHCR’s response across the MENA region, based on the growing needs communicated by refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and hosting communities.
Key Figures
20 out of 20 UNHCR countries/operations are reporting COVID-19 cases in the region
16 million 2020 planning figure for people of concern in the Middle East and North Africa
1,102* cases of active COVID-19 reported among Persons of Concern including fatalities
Since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic six months ago, Governments have responded swiftly with measures to contain the pandemic. In line with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), UNHCR is working closely with governments, other agencies, partners and communities themselves to ensure no one is left behind.
However, extended curfews and physical distancing measures have resulted in crippling consequences for millions of vulnerable persons across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Among these include forcibly displaced persons who have seen protection risks grow and socio-economic prospects further diminish. Moreover, the World Bank anticipates a concerning 4.2 per cent decline in the region’s GDP in 2020, with investment activities expected to be hindered by falling oil prices and mounting debts.