UNHRC: Sahrawis in Tindouf camps at the center of Geneva discussions

On Wednesday, a meeting on sustainable solutions for refugees in Africa was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Organized by NGOs with consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the event brought together an international panel of human rights experts, humanitarian actors, and civil society representatives.

Discussions focused in particular on the protracted situation in the Tindouf camps in Algeria, one of the longest-running displacement crises in Africa. Speakers pointed to the heavy dependence on humanitarian aid, the lack of sustainable economic opportunities, and the need for a transparent census of the population. They stressed that such measures are essential to ensure protection in line with international standards and to improve the effectiveness of assistance.

At the close of the meeting, panelists called for greater responsibility-sharing among states, the expansion of resettlement programs, and the full implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees, with the aim of securing durable solutions that uphold the fundamental rights of refugees across Africa.