German-Moroccan partnership on asylum and international refugee protection

Context

Morocco is no longer just a country of emigration – it is also a host country. An increasing number of people who are forced to flee their homes in other countries now seek asylum in Morocco. The number of people seeking asylum here has tripled in recent years. In April 2015 the figure stood at 2,937 – with the majority coming from Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Côte d’Ivoire. This development poses major challenges for the country.

2013 marked a turning point in Morocco’s migration policy. The country took a decisive preliminary step when King Mohammed VI requested the Government to prepare an integrated and humane migration and asylum policy. The newly drafted national strategy on immigration and asylum was officially presented in September 2014. It stipulates that for the first time a coherent and integrated policy based on the principles of human rights is to be created. In addition to a revision of the legal framework, the strategy also provides for the establishment of a number of national institutions to deal in future with the issues of asylum and refugees. This ambitious strategy poses a major challenge for the Moroccan authorities, however, since staff often lack the necessary knowledge, skills and instruments.

Objective

The legal and institutional framework for a coherent and humane asylum system in Morocco is strengthened. The relevant actors have adequate knowledge and the necessary instruments to develop an asylum system in compliance with international standards. At the same time, regional and international cooperation in the area of refugee policy is reinforced.

https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/34167.html

2016 GFMD Summit - Platform for Partnerships