At the 95th session of the UNHCR Standing Committee in Geneva, Morocco called for a meaningful shift in the way refugee situations are managed across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, stressing that humanitarian assistance should serve as a pathway toward long-term solutions rather than an end in itself.

The city of Dakhla is hosting, over two days, the meetings of the Network of Young Local Elected Officials in Africa (YELO), affiliated with the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). Representatives from African municipalities and cities, as well as young elected officials from approximately twenty African countries, are participating.

Sahrawi human rights activist Aicha Douihi expressed deep concern on Tuesday in Geneva, during the 61st session of the Human Rights Council, regarding the human rights situation in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf (southwest Algeria), where thousands of people live in precarious humanitarian and legal conditions.

The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has reiterated its consistent position of support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, and its commitment to the Kingdom's security, stability and territorial integrity.

Efforts to combat the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and to promote their sustainable reintegration were the focus of a high-level roundtable held Tuesday in Geneva. The event, organized on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, is part of a conference series dedicated to the International Rabat Declaration on Child-Focused Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR).