For the first time ever, three Rwandan, one Ivorian and one Cameroonian refugee households were naturalized by a Presidential Decree. UNHCR and the General Directorate for Civil Status, Migration and Refugees (DGECMR) are following up with them to ensure that they receive all related citizenship documents.
Furthermore, several meetings were held in Niamey and Goure with representatives of a group of approximately 250 Chadian refugees, who have been residing in Goure for over 20 years. In late 2016, the group decided to opt for naturalization, soliciting UNHCR and DGECMR’s assistance in the process (administrative aspects as well as socio-economic integration aspects such as access to land, durable shelter and livelihoods). This process is being closely monitored by UNHCR.