5,618,866 Internally Displaced Persons in the ECOWAS Region in 2022

6,134,081 forced displacements, 5,618,866 internally displaced persons and 515,215 refugees in West Africa in 2022 due to insecurity, conflicts and other natural disasters.

This is the main announcement made before the Plenary of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by the Senior Adviser of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in charge of liaison with ECOWAS, Hervé Kuaté, Friday June 10, 2022 in Abuja.

It is for the UNHCR, through this communication, to show the Community MPs the extent of the phenomenon of displacements, whether they are forced as a result of war, conflicts, terrorism or caused by a natural phenomenon, and awaken in them the desire to carry out advocacy for the promotion of peace, stability and cohesion within the communities of the ECOWAS region.

These displaced persons and refugees often face risks that boil down to threats, rights violations, vulnerability, lack of protection services, limited access to humanitarian aid and social tensions with local communities.

To address these challenges, Mr. Kuaté indicated that the UNHCR is working to provide these displaced persons and refugees with shelter, emergency assistance, health care and financial support.

He asked ECOWAS to adopt a regional approach on the issue by establishing common minimum standards on the protection of refugees.

For Mr. Kuaté, the partnership between ECOWAS and UNHCR should pave the way for support for legislative reforms, advocacy for the ratification of the Kampala Convention (African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Displaced Persons in Africa) and its transposition into the domestic law of States.