The High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that “Morocco is a transit country and a host” for refugees and migrants, stressing that until last September, the Kingdom registered 18,934 refugees from more than 43 countries.
The same UNHCR highlighted, in a recent report, that the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Morocco has almost doubled since 2019.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the population of concern to UNHCR has grown rapidly.
Between January 2020 and September 2022, the total number of people under UNHCR protection in Morocco doubled by 45%, from 6,757 to 9,949, while the total number of asylum seekers tripled.
The Commission explained that in the third quarter of 2022, the epidemiological situation in Morocco improved significantly, by all standards, which enabled the Commission and its partners to work to their full capacity, whether it was related to reception or assistance procedures.
The High Commissioner for Refugees presented summaries of the results of its work during the current year, saying that it held 25 hearings for 140 refugees, until last September, and registered 3,761 new asylum seekers, and 299 legal consultations were conducted with 31 administrative support, and 81 refugees and asylum seekers were assisted ( Including 15 women and 66 men with special needs).
UNHCR reported that on June 24, 2022, between 1,500 and 2,000 people (mostly from Chad, Sudan and Mali) attempted to cross the border between Nador and Melilla.
According to official sources, 23 people were killed during this attempt, while hundreds of people were injured among migrants, refugees and asylum seekers as well, stating: “After this attempt to cross, UNHCR conducted individual protection interviews and provided urgent medical assistance through its partners, in addition to legal assistance.”
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