Morocco hosts nearly 24,000 refugees, asylum seekers from 60 countries as of June, UNHCR says

Morocco registered 23,615 refugees and asylum-seekers from more than 60 countries as of June 30, 2026, according to the latest factsheet from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The factsheet for the second quarter of 2026 said the total included 10,538 refugees and 13,077 asylum seekers in 86 locations around the country.

Sudanese nationals represented the largest group, with 6,816 people, followed by Syrians with 5,239, Guineans with 2,066, Ivorians with 1,755, and Central Africans with 1,357.

UNHCR said arrivals from Sudan have increased sharply since 2024, with Sudanese nationals accounting for 68% of all new registrations in Morocco in 2026.

An average of 233 Sudanese individuals were registered each month during the year. The UN refugee agency also noted that unaccompanied children represented one in nine newly registered individuals, pointing to increased protection needs among people arriving in the country.

Morocco remains both a transit and host country for people seeking asylum and a relatively stable environment in the region, UNHCR said, as regional instability continues to drive displacement, including the conflict in Sudan and forced displacement in the Sahel.

On housing and protection, the factsheet revealed that UNHCR, alongside Fondation Orient-Occident, provided shelter to 71 vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers as of June 30, while around 25 unaccompanied and separated minors were placed in child protection centers.

As for gender-based violence, the agency reported that 515 refugees and 1,221 asylum-seekers had at least one specific need related to this type of violence as of June 30, with women and girls accounting for 69% of them, while 59% of reported violence occurred in countries of origin.

UNHCR, in partnership with the Association Marocaine de Planification Familiale, also supported refugees in accessing public healthcare and specialized medical services, providing 2,631 specialized consultations, essential medicines to more than 426 refugees with chronic illnesses, and 463 psychosocial counselling sessions to refugees and asylum-seekers.