Morocco requested and secured the adoption of the 2025 annual budget of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) through a vote for the first time in 75 years, during the 75th session of the organization’s Executive Committee, which concluded on Friday in Geneva.
Morocco’s permanent mission reaffirmed its support for the UNHCR’s humanitarian mandate while highlighting concerns over the agency’s departure from its core responsibility to protect populations in the Tindouf camps in Algeria. The Kingdom also condemned documented incidents of humanitarian aid being diverted, as confirmed by multiple international reports.
The mission also criticized the UNHCR for its inaction regarding the situation of populations held by armed militias, who face restrictions on basic rights, including freedom of movement. It also pointed out the agency’s failure to address the lack of free access to the camps and Algeria’s de facto transfer of its sovereignty and legal and humanitarian responsibilities to an armed militia.
In its proposal for a vote, the mission urged the UNHCR to assume full responsibility for the situation and to implement all necessary measures to resolve it.