Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Burkina Faso – Mali: More than 300 families fleeing armed attacks in Burkina Faso have sought refuge in the Cercle of Koro in Mali's central region of Bandiagara, privately-owned website Studio Tamani reported on December 18th. “The current number stands at 314 households who [have] arrived in just eight days,” the report said, quoting local authorities. Located 90km from Ouahigouya in northern Burkina Faso, Koro, alongside Bankass, is a Dogon-populated area and a militant hotspot, where the Katiba Macina and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) carry out revenge attacks against Dogon communities, the report said. (BBC Monitoring 18/12) Central African Republic – DR Congo: Over 1,400 Central African Republic (CAR) refugees fleeing armed attacks had arrived in Bosobolo, in north-western DR Congo's Nord Ubangi province, privately-owned Top Congo Radio FM reported on January 3rd. Local administrator, Isaac Pelendo, told the radio station that Seleka rebels had launched an attack on an army position in the sub-prefecture of Njoku which led to a mass displacement of people across the river into DR Congo. (BBC Monitoring 3/1) Egypt: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi signed into law his country's first-ever asylum law on December 17th, but it has sparked concerns among human rights groups who warn it takes a “security-focused approach” that could undermine refugee protections, according to AFP (18/12). The law creates a permanent refugee committee under the prime minister to oversee asylum applications and services. A major concern for opponents is a clause granting authorities the power to take “necessary measures” against refugees during wartime, counter-terrorism operations or national security crises. Another controversial provision criminalises housing refugees without notifying the police, punishable by imprisonment. The law also requires refugees who enter Egypt illegally to apply for asylum within 45 days of arrival. Activists argue the law was rushed without consultation with civil society organisations or the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). The government defended the haste: “The urgency in enacting the legislation arises from the necessity of having a framework,” Tarek Radwan, head of the parliament's human rights committee, said, citing the country's geopolitical challenges and the growing refugee population. “No country can manage a steady rise in refugee numbers without regulations to govern their presence,” he told AFP. The government says the law aligns with international treaties and aims to streamline refugee data by integrating its databases with those of the UNHCR. Amid the country's financial crisis, anti-refugee sentiment has been rising, with concerns about strains on healthcare, housing and education. Refugees, however, receive little to no assistance from either the United Nations or the government. Egyptian officials have repeatedly urged more international funding to manage the crisis, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly saying in April that the support given to Egypt falls short of the burden of hosting millions of refugees. In October, the European Union granted Egypt €12.2m. (© AFP 20/12 2024)
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4407247208