Population figures
Total country population
29,603,302
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
2,369
Asylum-seekers:
53,197
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
930,958
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Côte d'Ivoire, located in West Africa, shares borders with Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Over the past decade, Côte d’Ivoire has quietly but steadily transformed its economy. As the world’s leading cocoa producer, the country has recorded one of the fastest and most sustained economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa for over ten years.
Côte d'Ivoire has a history of hosting refugees from neighboring countries, including Liberia, Guinea, and Mali. In recent years, Côte d'Ivoire has also welcomed asylum-seekers from neighboring Burkina Faso. The country has experienced periods of internal displacement due to political instability and armed conflict, with significant numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Historical migrants to Côte d’Ivoire and their descendants born in the country likely comprise the largest group affected by statelessness in Côte d’Ivoire. This is a result of the high levels of immigration to the country dating back to pre-independence times, as well as the weaknesses in the civil status systems.
...Côte d'Ivoire is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, providing a legal basis for the protection of refugees. The country has established procedures for refugee status determination and has worked towards finding durable solutions for refugees, including voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement opportunities. Côte d’Ivoire adopted its national asylum Law in 2023. The implementing decree has not yet been adopted.
In recent years, Côte d'Ivoire has likewise made significant strides in addressing statelessness. In 2020, the country adopted the Statelessness Determination Procedure, a legal process to identify and protect stateless individuals, becoming the first in Africa to do so. This process includes the establishment of a procedure for the regularisation of the status of stateless persons. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in the implementation of the legal framework for stateless persons. While individuals recognised as stateless have access to an attestation confirming their identity and legal status, provisions for the issuance of identity and travel documentation are yet to be established in line with the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. The country continues to work towards addressing these gaps to ensure full protection for stateless individuals.
Côte d'Ivoire has experienced significant internal displacement, particularly during periods of political instability and conflict. The legal framework for the protection of IDPs is evolving, with ongoing initiatives to strengthen national laws and policies to better address the needs of displaced populations. In addition, the government, in collaboration with international partners, undertook efforts to facilitate the return and reintegration of Ivorians who had fled the country. These efforts include the provision of humanitarian assistance, support for livelihoods, and the restoration of access to basic services. Between 2011 and 2022, over 318,000 Ivorian refugees returned to and reintegrated in Côte d’Ivoire.
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Sources: UNHCR Refugee Data finder https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ | 2024 mid-year figures. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022, Online Edition https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Files/WPP2022_Data_Sources.pdf