Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 109 Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions, published in 2001.

What other versions does this mandate have?

34 versions · 1992–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/80/188

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2025	A/RES/80/188	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa	4,883	100%Compare
2023	A/RES/78/185	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa	4,883	100%Compare
2023	A/RES/77/199	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa	4,883	100%Compare
2022	A/RES/76/144	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa	4,883	92%Compare
2020	A/RES/75/164	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa	4,498	100%Compare

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

23 reports · 2002–2026

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2026	A/81/347	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/80/188
2024	A/79/326	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/78/185
2023	A/78/183	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/77/199
2022	A/77/313	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/76/144
2021	A/76/290	Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/75/164

What’s in this document?

35 operative paragraphs

Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General⁸ and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;⁹

⁸A/55/471.

⁹Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 12 (A/55/12).

Notes with concern that the declining socio-economic situation, compounded by political instability, internal strife, human rights violations and natural disasters, has led to increased numbers of refugees and displaced persons in some countries of Africa, and remains particularly concerned about the impact of large-scale refugee populations on the security, socio-economic situation and environment of countries of asylum;

Recalls the commemoration in 1999 of the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Organization of African Unity Convention governing the specific aspects of refugee problems in Africa of 1969,1 and commends the convening by the Organization of African Unity and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of the Special Meeting of Governmental and Non-Governmental Technical Experts at Conakry from 27 to 29 March 2000 to mark that anniversary;

Encourages African States to ensure the full implementation of and follow-up to the comprehensive implementation plan adopted by the Special Meeting and endorsed by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity;6

Also encourages African States to ensure the full implementation of and follow-up to the recommendations of the sixth Seminar on International Humanitarian Law, convened by the Organization of African Unity and the International Committee of the Red Cross at Addis Ababa on 15 and 16 May 2000;

Calls upon States and other parties to armed conflict to observe scrupulously the letter and the spirit of international humanitarian law, bearing in mind that armed conflict is one of the principal causes of forced displacement in Africa;

Expresses its sincere appreciation and gratitude to Sadako Ogata for her tireless efforts, throughout her tenure as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to address the plight of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa and for her inspiring example in performing her functions in an exemplary and dedicated manner;

Expresses its gratitude and appreciation, in this year which marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for the work accomplished since its establishment, with the support of the international community, in assisting African countries of asylum and responding to the needs of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa for assistance and protection;

Notes the intergovernmental event planned in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees,¹⁰ in 2001, and encourages African States parties to the Convention to participate actively in the event;

¹⁰United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 189, No. 2545.

Reaffirms that the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol¹¹ relating to the Status of Refugees, as complemented by the Organization of African Unity Convention of 1969, remain the foundation of the international refugee protection regime in Africa, encourages African States that have not yet done so to accede to those instruments, and calls upon States parties to the Conventions to reaffirm their commitment to their ideals and to respect and observe their provisions;

¹¹Ibid., vol. 606, No. 8791.

Notes the need for States to address the root causes of forced displacement in Africa, and calls upon African States, the international community and relevant United Nations organizations to take concrete action to meet the needs of refugees, returnees and displaced persons for protection and assistance and to contribute generously to national projects and programmes aimed at alleviating their plight;

Also notes the link, inter alia, between human rights violations, poverty, natural disasters and environmental degradation and population displacement, and calls for redoubled and concerted efforts by States, in collaboration with the Organization of African Unity, to promote and protect human rights for all and to address these problems;

Encourages the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to continue to cooperate with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, within their respective mandates, in the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa;

Notes with appreciation the ongoing mediation and conflict resolution efforts carried out by African States, the Organization of African Unity and subregional organizations, as well as the establishment of regional mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution, and urges all relevant parties to address the humanitarian consequences of conflicts;

Expresses its appreciation and strong support for those African Governments and local populations that, in spite of the general deterioration of socio-economic and environmental conditions and overstretched national resources, continue to accept the additional burden imposed upon them by increasing numbers of refugees and displaced persons, in compliance with the relevant principles of asylum;

Expresses its concern about instances in which the fundamental principle of asylum is jeopardized by unlawful expulsion or refoulement or by threats to the life, physical security, integrity, dignity and well-being of refugees;

Calls upon States, in cooperation with international organizations, within their mandates, to take all necessary measures to ensure respect for the principles of refugee protection and, in particular, to ensure that the civilian and humanitarian nature of refugee camps is not compromised by the presence or the activities of armed elements;

Notes the proposal of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to commence a process of global consultations on the international refugee protection regime, and in this context invites African States to participate actively in this process so as to bring their regional perspective to bear, thus ensuring that adequate attention is paid to concerns that are specific to Africa;

Deplores the deaths and injuries and other forms of violence sustained by staff members of the Office of the High Commissioner and urges States, parties to conflict and all other relevant actors to take all necessary measures to protect activities related to humanitarian assistance, to prevent attacks on and kidnapping of national and international humanitarian workers and to ensure their safety and security, calls upon States to investigate fully any crimes committed against humanitarian personnel and bring to justice persons responsible for such crimes, and calls upon organizations and aid workers to abide by the national laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate;

Calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner, the Organization of African Unity, subregional organizations and all African States, in conjunction with United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the international community, to strengthen and revitalize existing partnerships and forge new ones in support of the international refugee protection system;

Calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner, the international community and other concerned entities to intensify their support to African Governments through appropriate capacity-building activities, including training of relevant officers, disseminating information about refugee instruments and principles, providing financial, technical and advisory services to accelerate the enactment or amendment and implementation of legislation relating to refugees, strengthening emergency response and enhancing capacities for the coordination of humanitarian activities;

Reaffirms the right of return and also the principle of voluntary repatriation, appeals to countries of origin and countries of asylum to create conditions that are conducive to voluntary repatriation, and recognizes that, while voluntary repatriation remains the pre-eminent solution, local integration and third-country resettlement, as appropriate, are also viable options for dealing with the situation of African refugees who, owing to prevailing circumstances in their respective countries of origin, are unable to return home;

Notes with satisfaction the voluntary return of millions of refugees to their homelands following the successful repatriation and reintegration operations carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner, with the cooperation and collaboration of countries hosting refugees and countries of origin, and looks forward to other programmes to assist the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of all refugees in Africa;

Reiterates that the Plan of Action adopted by the Regional Conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region, held at Bujumbura from 15 to 17 February 1995, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 50/149 of 21 December 1995, continues to be a viable framework for the resolution of the refugee and humanitarian problems in that region;

Appeals to the international community to respond positively, in the spirit of solidarity and burden-sharing, to the third-country resettlement requests of African refugees, and notes with appreciation that some African countries have offered resettlement places for refugees;

Welcomes the programmes carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner with host Governments, the United Nations, non-governmental organizations and the international community to address the environmental impact of refugee populations;

Calls upon the international donor community to provide material and financial assistance for the implementation of programmes intended for the rehabilitation of the environment and infrastructure affected by refugees in countries of asylum;

Expresses its concern about the long stay of refugees in certain African countries, and calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner to keep its programmes under review, in conformity with its mandate in the host countries, taking into account the increasing needs of refugees;

Emphasizes the need for the Office of the High Commissioner to collate statistics, on a regular basis, on the number of refugees living outside refugee camps in certain African countries, with a view to evaluating and addressing the needs of those refugees;

Urges the international community, in a spirit of international solidarity and burden-sharing, to continue to fund generously the refugee programmes of the Office of the High Commissioner and, taking into account the substantially increased needs of programmes in Africa, to ensure that Africa receives a fair and equitable share of the resources designated for refugees;

Requests all Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to pay particular attention to meeting the special needs of refugee women and children and displaced persons, including those with special protection needs;

Calls upon States and the Office of the High Commissioner to make renewed efforts to ensure that the rights, needs and dignity of elderly refugees are fully respected and addressed through appropriate programme activities;

Invites the Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons to continue his ongoing dialogue with Member States and the intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned, in accordance with his mandate, and to include information thereon in his reports to the Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly;

Expresses grave concern about the plight of internally displaced persons in Africa, calls upon States to take concrete action to pre-empt internal displacement and to meet the protection and assistance needs of internally displaced persons, recalls in this regard the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement,¹² and urges the international community, led by relevant United Nations organizations, to contribute generously to national projects and programmes aimed at alleviating the plight of internally displaced persons;

¹²E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2, annex.

Requests the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive report on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, taking fully into account the efforts expended by countries of asylum, under the item entitled “Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions”, and to present an oral report to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 2001.

Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

Table of contents