Morocco has renewed its appeal to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), condemning the situation in the Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria as a “flagrant humanitarian anomaly” that has persisted for half a century.
The camps, administered by the Polisario Front, continue to host populations living under restricted conditions, according to Moroccan officials.
Speaking on Tuesday during the general debate of the 76th UNHCR Executive Committee session in Geneva, Morocco’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Omar Zniber, called on the UNHCR to exercise its full mandate to ensure “free and unhindered humanitarian access” to the camps.
“Humanitarian neutrality must never be confused with passivity in the face of injustice,” Ambassador Zniber declared, describing the situation as “abnormal and unique in the annals of the UNHCR.”
He emphasized that the camps’ conditions have persisted for fifty years without adequate international oversight.
The ambassador stressed the importance of adhering to fundamental humanitarian principles, including neutrality, impartiality, transparency, accountability, and the protection of the civilian character of the camps.
He also highlighted the urgent need for “independent and immediate registration” of the populations living in Tindouf, noting that a 2005 recommendation from the UNHCR Office of the Inspector General to carry out such registration has largely remained unimplemented.
Morocco expressed deep concern over the lack of full humanitarian access and the continued failure to safeguard the civilian nature of the camps, framing these issues as a long-standing humanitarian and political challenge.
High Commissioner Filippo Grandi responded by reaffirming the UNHCR’s commitment to maintaining the non-political character of refugee protection.
“I reiterate the urgency and importance of reaching a political solution to this situation, which has lasted far too long,” he said, noting ongoing discussions with the Security Council regarding the Sahara issue.
Grandi added that the UNHCR would “remain committed to the humanitarian response in Tindouf and remain vigilant regarding the civilian nature of the camps,” underscoring the agency’s focus on both protection and impartiality in the region.
The Moroccan appeal comes amid renewed international attention on the protracted refugee situation in Tindouf, highlighting longstanding concerns over access, registration, and the humanitarian conditions of populations displaced for decades.
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