HIGHLIGHTS
Following recent episodes of violence sparking in Northern Mali, a new inflow of 226 Malian refugees was registered in Mauritania since the end of April. The refugees were transferred to Mberra camp and received adequate assistance from UNHCR and its partners.
On 12 May, the final version of the Mauritanian draft National Refugee Law was officially adopted by the Commission nationale consultative pour les réfugiés.
The six-month verification process of more than 25,000 individuals in Mberra whose nationality was in doubt was successfully completed with the confirmation of Malian nationality for 10,553 refugees and the de-activation of 3,708 people who were found to be Mauritanian nationals. The remainder was referred for further verification.
On 19 May, a UNHCR delegation composed of the Director of the Regional Bureau for the Middle-East and North-Africa, the Representative in Mauritania and the Head of the North Africa Desk met with the Mauritanian Head of State and the Prime Minister, reaffirming the existing strong collaboration between UNHCR and the Mauritanian Government in the humanitarian response to the Malian crisis.