The UNHCR High Commissioner issued key protection messages on 31 March 2020 in which he advocated, inter alia, for access to asylum while also protecting public health, continued reception of asylum seekers and the processing of asylum claims and inclusion of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other marginalized groups in public health.

UNHCR warns chronic lack of resources contributing to new crisis in Burkina Faso - https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2020/4/5e8c3b614/unhcr-warns-chronic-lack-resources-contributing-new-crisis-burkina-faso.html

UNHCR warns chronic lack of resources contributing to new crisis in Burkina Faso - https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2020/4/5e8c3b614/unhcr-warns-chronic-lack-resources-contributing-new-crisis-burkina-faso.html

Pakistan: Islamabad: UNHCR focused its support interventions to the coronavirus in three main areas: prevention and response; water and sanitation; and risk communication.

Pakistan: Islamabad: As an active member of the COVID-19 Risk Communication and Community Engagement Task Force, the Office helped amplify government-approved messages on the prevention and response to the coronavirus among refugees.

Pakistan: Islamabad: UNHCR dispatched core relief items in support of the Government of Pakistan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief items include medical supplies and sanitation products such as sanitary clothes, soap and disinfectants.

Pakistan: Islamabad: UNHCR donated five fully equipped ambulances to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ambulances will be deployed to the districts of Haripur, Kohat, Mardan, Peshawar and Swabi.

Pakistan: Islamabad: UNHCR’s global coronavirus emergency appeal amounted to $255 million as of 31 March 2020. Of this amount, the requirements for Pakistan come to $5.7 million.

Following the declaration of a global pandemic by WHO on 11 March 2020, UNHCR declared a Global Level 2 Emergency for the COVID-19 situation on 25 March 2020, activating emergency procurement procedures, simplified partner selection processes and giving country teams maximum flexibility in providing assistance.

While UNHCR is preparing and scaling-up its readiness and response in all countries with persons of concern (PoC), particular attention is given to situations where the pandemic is ‘an emergency on top of an emergency’; among them Bangladesh, DRC, Iraq, the Sahel, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and the Venezuela situation.