UNHCR, Africa Union call for action to strengthen refugee socio-economic inclusion across Africa

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the African Union Commission (AUC), Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), development partners, financial institutions, private sector actors, UN agencies, refugee representatives and refugee-led organizations today concluded a two-day Technical Dialogue on the Socio-Economic Inclusion of Refugees in Africa.

Convened by the AUC’s Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (AUC-HHS) and UNHCR, the Dialogue brought together stakeholders to advance practical solutions for refugee inclusion across the continent.

Building on the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, Resolution on the inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and stateless persons in socio-economic national systems, services and economic opportunities in Africa (Res. 565 (2023)) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and commitments made by Member States at the Global Refugee Forum, participants called for renewed efforts to translate policy commitments into practical implementation.

Opening the dialogue, Prof. Julio Rakotonirina, Director for Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the AUC, underscored that the platform enables Member States to share practical experiences, assess progress and address challenges in advancing refugee inclusion. He also called on the international community to support the efforts of countries that continue to open their borders, communities and national systems to refugees.

Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, highlighted the value of dialogue and knowledge exchange in scaling successful approaches across the continent. He commended Member States for advancing more inclusive legal and policy frameworks and called for sustained momentum to turn commitments into measurable outcomes.

“Ultimately, inclusion is measured in people's lives: a refugee who can work legally; a child learning in a national school; a family covered by the national health system; a host community that sees investment arrive,” said Balde. “Africa has shown that this is possible and we need to take this further, together.”

Speaking on behalf of AU Partner Groups, Mirjam Tjassing, Deputy Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the AU, IGAD and UNECA, acknowledged the significant progress made by refugee-hosting countries in integrating refugees into national systems. She emphasized the need for stronger development-oriented approaches and enhanced international responsibility-sharing to sustain these efforts.

Discussions focused on practical measures to strengthen refugee access to national systems and services, including education, health, social protection, livelihoods and financial inclusion. Participants emphasized the need to remove legal and administrative barriers, improve the availability of data and evidence, and ensure refugees and host communities are reflected in national development planning and budgeting processes. Participants reaffirmed that refugee socio-economic inclusion is both a protection imperative and a development opportunity. When refugees are able to access essential services and decent work along with their hosts, they can contribute to local economies, strengthen community resilience and support inclusive national development.

Participants identified priority actions to accelerate implementation, which will be reflected in a forthcoming Technical Outcome Note and Action Matrix. The outcomes will also inform high-level engagement on refugee socio-economic inclusion, going forward.

The AU and UNHCR called on all stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and sustain momentum in support of refugee inclusion across Africa. Participants emphasized that Africa’s longstanding traditions of solidarity and hospitality, together with the principle of “African solutions to African problems”, provide a strong foundation for advancing inclusions and solutions, and for achieving the aspirations of the AU Agenda 2063 for a prosperous, integrated and peaceful Africa.

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For more information, please contact:

• Hervé Kuate, +251 91 121 0273, [email protected]
• Molaligne Tsegaye, +251 91 049 2010, [email protected]