North

Major developments

Activities in North Africa focused on the main pro- tracted refugee situation in the Tindouf camps, Southwest , where refugees from have been living for more than 25 years. Through a permanent presence in the camps, UNHCR provided protection and assistance to some 165,000 refugees (according to Government estimates) who are living in the camps, and held regular meetings with refugees and their representa- tives. UNHCR also provided protection and limited material assistance to urban refugees and asylum- seekers in the region. In addition, the organisation tried to strengthen the Algerian authorities’ capa- city to establish national asylum legislation.

Despite joint efforts by UNHCR and WFP to mobil- Algeria ise international assistance, the refugees in these Libyan Arab Jamahiriya camps remain acutely short of food. The organisa- tion was, however, able to provide other forms of assistance in co-operation with local and interna- tional NGOs, particularly in the areas of health, Western Sahara Territory education, water and sanitation. two internationallegalofficers were appointed to to conductrefugee statusdetermination.Lastyear, refugees, UNHCR offices intheregion continued In theabsenceofappropriate national legislationon Representative, littleprogress hasbeenmade. Secretary-General, hisSpecial EnvoyandSpecial camps. Sofar, despitethetireless efforts ofthe durable solutionfortherefugees livinginthe Sahara remains thefundamental prerequisite fora politicalsolutiontotheconflictinWestern A Challenges andconcerns result, there were noconcrete results. agree onimplementationprocedures, andasa involved. Unfortunately, thepartiescouldnot country oforiginwassubmittedtoallparties services betweentherefugee campsandtheir ect consistingoffamilyvisits,telephoneandmail MINURSO, aproposed confidence-buildingproj- Resolution 1429,andincloseco-ordination with Following theadoptionofSecurityCouncil asylum systems.Itwillbesometimebefore results national asylumlawsandestablishcomprehensive help theauthoritiesinMorocco andTunisia todraft 120 160 200 40 80 0 Persons ofconcerntoUNHCR euesAsylum- Refugees 31 December 1 January (in thousands) UNHCR GlobalReport 2002 seekers eune Other Returnees 277

North Africa , ” camp assist- there are there Five Commit- “ for the management s Ministry of Foreign ’ pound provided by the pound provided on-food items and water. ments to Refugee Women education, health, and logistics education, camps. In February in all four and WFP2002, UNHCR under- the mission to assess took a joint non-food requirements food and population. The of the refugee in the arrival lack of regularity of food, along and distribution variety in the with the lack of serious prob- food basket, are of the the welfare lems affecting refugees. In line with the UNHCR continued to provide UNHCR continued to provide 1,670 registered refugees, of whom refugees, 1,670 registered training for adolescent girls and young Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (), Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya), Mauritania, Affairs benefited from courses in refugee-related benefited from Affairs and at academic institutions in Strasbourg affairs San Remo. In the more than 1 more Somalis) are some 1,700 (mostly Palestinians and categorised vulnerable. Most of these people as have been living in a com some assistance they receive authorities, where UNHCR, including vocational training. This from moved to a new compound with year they were Only 20 refugees better sanitation and electricity. Libya in 2002, mostly to from repatriated were . In ance to some 400 urban refugees from Sierra Leone Sierra from to some 400 urban refugees ance granted and . Sixty new asylum-seekers were with assistance and status and provided refugee UNHCR funded 28 income generation protection. most of them of 72 refugees, for a group projects the situa- also monitored women. The organisation living in tion of the 26,400 Saharawi refugees missions to the Mauritania, carrying out regular sessions Sahara. Working with Western area border with local authorities and NGOs served to increase law. their knowledge of international refugee UNHCR ensured that women participated in that women participated UNHCR ensured activities, taking responsibility and distribution of food, n Vocational and a legal and psycho- increased, was women for women opened in camp. social centre Algeria Key counterparts in UNHCR / A. Hollmann epared and is currently under and is currently epared UNHCR managed to provide adequate UNHCR managed to provide UNHCR Global Report 2002 Algeria, UNHCR conducted comprehensive and detailed UNHCR conducted comprehensive needs assessments covering nutrition, sector-level assistance to camp residents in a variety of sectors. assistance to camp residents A new water system installed in Laayoune camp quantities of good quality water sufficient provides UNHCR trained to some 36,500 Saharan refugees. water engineers and equipped a repair refugee three technical to combat the frequent workshop in order faced in the harsh desert conditions. For the problems no disruptions were first time in many years, there even during the summer. of water, to the trucking 278 In Operations UNHCR has maintained regular contacts with UNHCR has maintained regular countries within authorities and universities in most understanding of to promote in order the region and to establish functioning asylum law, refugee and legislation. structures Progress towards solutions Saharan refu- to repatriate ready UNHCR remains on the political is progress gees if and when there has support- In the meantime, the organisation front. of sub-Saharan refu- the individual repatriation ed and Tunisia. Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, gees from Algeria: Saharan refugees in Laayoune camp, Tindouf region. camp, Tindouf region. in Laayoune Algeria: Saharan refugees some will be achieved. Meanwhile, in Mauritania, been made: draft national legis- has already progress haslation been pr by the authorities. review

North Africa ward onconfidence-buildingmeasures. monitor developmentsinthearea, andmovefor- of theSecretary General ued to In In and Sub-Saharancountries. of theCongo,DemocraticRepublicCongo refugees, mostofthemfrom Palestine,theRepublic In the r lation on ber based inTunis. Efforts toestablishnationallegis- was carriedoutbyaUNHCRinternationalstaff mem- Sierra Leone.In2002,refugee statusdetermination mainly from Algeria, Palestine,,Liberiaand Country Total Western SaharaTerritory Tunisia Morocco Mauritania Libyan ArabJamahiriya Algeria 1 Total North Africa Algeria Earmarking For more informationonthevariousearmarkings,pleaserefer t Tunisia, Morocco, work closelywithMINURSOandtheOffice Western SaharaTerritory, 1 efugees inTunisia haveyettobearfruit. UNHCR assistedsome60refugees, UNHCR continuedtohelp500 Voluntary Contributions–Restricted/Earmarked(USD) ’ s SpecialRepresentative to wdn2222282,222 282,222 2,755,027 235,230 408,163 50,090 600,000 2,755,027 235,230 880,000 408,163 50,090 600,000 880,000 United StatesofAmerica Sweden USA forUNHCR(USA) United StatesofAmerica Norway Japan España conACNUR(SPA) oo noeContribution Income Donor Budget andExpenditure(USD) UNHCR contin- o theDonorProfiles. North Africa were curtailedasaresult ofUNHCR Assistance programmes andprotection activitiesin Funding camps in Algeria. provide fundstoavertahumanitariancrisisinthe donors didrespond positivelytourgent appealsto training sessionsonprotection issues.However, in thecancellationofanumberworkshopsand in southwest Algeria. Thelackoffundsalsoresulted to extendthewatersystemproject to Awsard camp general fundingshortfall.Fundsare stillrequired UNHCR GlobalReport 2002 eie ugtExpenditure Revised Budget ,9,9 6,023,039 7,093,398 765,775 4,192,872 1,137,711 4,724,201 5,229,944 5,222,569 Annual Programme Budget 4,4 110,145 249,143 403,705 301,399 149,342 318,894 438,888 324,362 18719,212 11,837 Annual Programme Budget 279 ’ s

North Africa