Assistance to Refugees from Western Sahara

This operation has been modified as per budget revision 8 (see below)

Algeria has been hosting refugees from Western Sahara since 1975. These refugees are located in camps in the harsh, isolated desert environment of western Algeria where opportunities for self-reliance are extremely limited, forcing them to rely on international humanitarian assistance for their survival. The political impasse persists despite the efforts of the Personal Envoy and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara.

The refugees were supported by the Algerian Government until 1986, when WFP started providing basic food support to the most vulnerable. Despite assistance, malnutrition levels remain a concern; while the latest nutrition survey shows that the prevalence of global acute malnutrition has reduced sharply from 18 percent in 2008

to 8 percent in 2010, stunting has only decreased slightly from 32 to 30 percent. The prevalence of anaemia among children aged 6-59 months and non-pregnant women

remains high.

Following a government request for WFP continued support to the refugees from Western Sahara, WFP and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees carried out a joint assessment mission in October 2011. The mission confirmed the need for continued food assistance and that most refugees remain highly dependent on humanitarian aid from the international community for their survival.

The specific objectives of this protracted relief and recovery operation are in line with WFP Strategic Plan (2008-2013), building on the achievements of the current project:

i) improve food consumption for the most vulnerable refugees living in the camps and reduce acute malnutrition and anemia in children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women through general food distribution and nutrition support (Strategic Objective 1 - “Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies”); and ii) maintain the enrolment and retention of refugee girls and boys targeted through school feeding (Strategic Objective 3 - “Restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods in post-disaster situations”).The operation contributes to the Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 4, and 5.

WFP will also continue to work on improving the logistic infrastructure given the extreme weather conditions and the potential environmental threats which have, in the past, damaged the outdoor storage facilities and food stocks.

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The objective of this Budget Revision (BR 8) is to extend the protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO) for 9 months, from 1 April to 31 December 2017, and to adjust the budget accordingly. The additional time will allow the operation to align with the Integrated Road Map process and ensures the start of the Transitional Interim Country Strategic Plan (T-ICSP) on 1 January 2018.