UNHCR’s 2008-2009 programme in Algeria aims to provide an average of 200 urban refugees and 250 asylum-seekers with protection and assistance which will cover food, housing, health and educational needs. The majority of these refugees and asylum seekers in Algeria originate from the Democratic republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Chad and Burundi. Currently, some 4,000 Palestinian refugees in Algeria are well integrated and receive no support from the Office.

UNHCR will continue its assistance programme for the Saharawi refugees living in camps in Tindouf through 2008 and 2009 pending a political solution to the situation in Western Sahara.

The main activities in this programme will include the provision of supplementary food, distribution of butane cooking gas, health and nutrition services and educational facilities including special computer and language training programmes for adolescents. This will supplement the support governmental bodies and NGOs.

About 20,000 people have already been registered to take part in the Confidence-Building Measures Project which was launched in March. In 2008, some 5,700 beneficiaries in Tindouf and the Western Sahara will exchange visits with a project aimed at using land transportation to increase visits currently under consideration.