UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and to the League of Arab States, Mr. Karim Atassi met with Ms. Inas Fergany, Director of Refugee and Migration Department at League of Arab States, on January 15, 2017. The meeting started by remarking on the good relationship that the two institutions have been developing over the last two years. Subsequently it touched on the areas of cooperation for 2017, which included the follow-up on the Global Compact on responsibility sharing for refugees that should be adopted in 2018, the Arab Convention on Regulating the Refugee situation in the Arab World and the necessity to move forward with developing a National Consultative Asylum Law for the member states part of the Arab League.

On the January 4, 2017, UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and to the League of Arab States, Mr. Karim Atassi met with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, H.E. Mr. Aboul Gheit, to discuss cooperation in regards to the current regional refugee situation. During the meeting, the Secretary General stressed the need to strengthen the existing cooperation between both institutions and highlighted the importance of capacity building of the League of Arab States on issues related to refugees as well as the importance of the adoption of Arab Convention on regulating the refugee situation; that is being discussed among the member states. H.E Mr. Aboul Gheit acknowledged UNHCR’s efforts in favor of refugees worldwide and in particular in the Arab region.

An extension of the grace period until April 4th, 2017 to request free work permits for Syrian workers was announced by the GoJ in late December

The Ministry of Labour confirmed that additional health certificates would not be required for issuance of work permits (22 January 2017).​

#IbnChambas- en #Gambie La détermination des pays de la région à travers #CEDEAO #UA #ONU à trouver une solution pacifique a été décisive

#IbnChambas a appelé la communauté internationale à continuer d’apporter son soutien au nouveau gouvernement de #Gambie.

76,342 persons arrived to Senegal from The Gambia between 1 and 22 January 2017. People have started to return to the Gambia on the week end of 21-22 January, after ex-President Jammeh left Banjul. Movement returns are ongoing.

Nigeria: ICRC delivers food to 25,000 people in Rann

Senegal: Around 45,000 have fled political uncertainty in The Gambia http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2017/1/5881deb74/senegal-around-45000-fled-political-uncertainty-gambia.html

Africa's Lake Chad region receives €40 million boost in humanitarian aid - ECHO