Population figures
Total country population
2,197,149
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
24
Asylum-seekers:
30
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Guinea-Bissau is a coastal country located in West Africa, bordered by Senegal to the north and Guinea to the south and east. Its Atlantic coastline and proximity to regional conflicts have influenced its role as both a source and transit point for displaced populations. The country comprises a mainland region and several islands, with Bissau serving as the capital.
Guinea-Bissau is a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. The country has also ratified the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. In February 2015, Guinea-Bissau adopted the Abidjan Declaration on the Eradication of Statelessness, as well as the Banjul Action Plan of ECOWAS aimed at eradicating statelessness.
...In 2017, the country engaged in a mass naturalization process of Senegalese refugee in a protracted situation. The process allowed over 8000 refugees to acquire nationality, however the provision of certificate of naturalization still remains to consolidate the exercise and better conform with Guinea-Bissau ́s citizenship rules and practices. In 2019, the Government began a revision process of its refugee law to include some aspects regarding family reunification, new practices on naturalization process facilitation, and to ensure a linkage with statelessness issues. Also, the new draft aims to separate Executive and Legislative intervention regarding the institutional and legal framework on refugee and statelessness issues. The new draft is on standby as the authorities are working for its finalization.
Guinea-Bissau is a signatory to the 2009 African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention). The country is threatened by rising sea levels and land conflicts driven by the search for new arable land. Large numbers of people migrating in search of natural resources has already resulted in tensions and conflicts between local communities. In the northern, eastern, and southern regions, as well as among the smaller island communities, many individuals are fleeing due to disappearing lands related to climate insecurity and land disputes in resettlement areas. The five communities of the Baiot people, where refugees have been integrating, are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change and ongoing land conflict management issues.
