Senegal

UNHCR's operation in Senegal focuses on advancing durable solutions for refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly for Mauritanian refugees who have been in protracted displacement.

While the overall number of forcibly displaced people in Senegal slightly increased due to new asylum registrations, local integration remained the primary solution pursued. In close collaboration with local authorities, UNHCR continued implementing a one-stop shop initiative to expedite the naturalization process for Mauritanian refugees. Although the pace of naturalizations slowed – partly due to institutional changes during the presidential and legislative elections – 94 individuals were granted nationality in 2024, building on progress from previous years. By June 2025, 94 new decrees granting Senegalese nationality were issued for Mauritanian refugees.

Notably, the Senegalese authorities agreed to process applications without requiring physical presence, which significantly improved the efficiency of case management. However, there is still no permanent system in place for the renewal of these documents. Despite resource constraints and limited physical presence outside Dakar, UNHCR maintained support for asylum procedures, registration, and legal documentation, while preparing to expand its route-based approach to better address displacement dynamics across the region in 2025.