UN launches Response Plan for Saharawi Refugees

United Nations, Nov 21 (Prensa Latina) The UN agencies and humanitarian actors announced a plan to meet the needs of the Sahrawi refugees, with a USD$ 214M funding amount, while stressing that 90% of the Sahrawi population residing in the Tindouf camps suffer from food insecurity or are vulnerable to malnutrition, leading to severe health deterioration, especially among the most vulnerable groups like kids.

November 21, 2023
16:28

This came during a conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Algiers, on Tuesday, attended by representatives of the embassies of South Africa, France, Canada, Western Sahara, Croatia, Poland, and countries donors of humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi refugees.

The UN Coordinator in Algeria, Alejandro Alvarez, stated that the UN agencies have stepped up efforts to launch a plan to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian work to meet the needs of the Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf camps, ensuring that they do not neglect anyone, through a strong and sustainable alliance that includes all 28 humanitarian actors in the field.

The spokesman added that the Sahrawi Refugee Response Plan (SRRP) document includes the total needs of 173,600 Sahrawis residing in camps for the period 2024-2025, which is estimated at USD$214 million.

“In Algeria today, the UN launched the Sahrawi Refugee Response Plan, covering the next two years – 2024-2025. The plan calls for USD $214 million to ensure food stability, and a reliable water supply as well as to address the nutritional requirements of people living in camps in Tindouf (southern Algeria). Funding will also be used to enhance educational access, offer protection services, and improve and promote the health of the men, women and children living there. The plan also includes measures to diversify livelihood activities”, the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General (UNSG), Antonio Guterres, published on its website.

The UN plan aims to ensure food stability, address nutritional requirements within refugee camps, enhance access to education, ensure safe water supplies, and provide protection services, including civil status and special needs, and enhance health conditions. In addition, measures are in place to diversify livelihood activities to mitigate the negative effects of aid volatility. Humanity and the impact of rising global prices on food markets.

Led by the UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR), the World Food Program (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the new plan encompasses a robust and sustainable alliance of all 28 humanitarian actors on the ground to meet the needs of Sahrawi refugees.

“Our colleagues note that donors have demonstrated steadfast solidarity with the Sahrawi refugees by providing critical humanitarian support. However, they say that despite this support, operations there remain underfunded”, the Office of the Spokesperson for the UNSG, added.

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