Niamey — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned about the growing tensions at the Humanitarian Centre near Agadez town and their impact on our ability to deliver services to those seeking assistance and the broader community.
Since September 2024, a group of asylum-seekers residing at the Centre have organized daily peaceful protests, expressing dissatisfaction with living conditions and requesting relocation to third countries.
While we fully respect their right to peacefully protest and acknowledge the difficulties they face in a Agadez's arid conditions, we urge the group to engage with us in a constructive manner and reconsider the assistance and local opportunities that have been made available.
This assistance includes shelter, water supply, monthly food vouchers, and access to weekly sessions with our partners, during which asylum-seekers can express concerns. Community kitchens have been installed and equipped at the Centre. Primary education is offered at the school built in the Centre, which hosts 386 refugee/asylum-seeker children and 74 children from the host community. Free healthcare services are available, including medical referrals to the Agadez hospital, and an on-site health post where mental health and psychosocial support can be found.
Options for resettlement remain scarce worldwide, with less than one percent of refugees benefiting from resettlement due to the limited number of places made available by governments. Refugees are prioritized based on their level of vulnerability and protection needs. In 2025, 200 resettlement places are allocated for Niger, compared to the assessed need of 15,000 refugees nationwide.
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Considering these limitations, we once again urge protesters to engage in open dialogue with us and consider the local opportunities available on the ground. Vocational training and distributions of livestock kits are offered to those interested to foster self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods. We are also working with the Agadez University to offer agricultural training and have secured 10 hectares of arable land from the Sultan of Agadez to support refugees and asylum-seekers.
UNHCR works with the Niger authorities in Agadez and other cities to reinforce protection services and support local solutions for over 400,000 asylum-seekers and refugees, within the limits of our financial resources. Despite Niger's own challenges, the country has demonstrated exceptional generosity through its open-door policy, allowing refugees to enjoy freedom of movement, access to social services, and opportunities to contribute to local economy.
We remain committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of refugees and asylum-seekers across Niger.
