This agreement, signed by the High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, and the UNHCR Resident Representative, François Reybet-Degat, is the culmination of a long and fruitful collaboration between the two institutions concerning refugees in Morocco, since the HCP had already conducted, in partnership with UNHCR, a national survey on forced migration in 2021.

The HCP had also conducted a study on COVID-19's social, economic and psychological impact on refugees in Morocco in September 2020. This study made it possible to implement the expertise and statistical tools of the HCP to serve these vulnerable populations.

In a statement to the press on this occasion, Mr. Lahlimi Alami noted that the HCP-UNHCR partnership is a consecration of a work aimed at revealing life reality of refugees in Morocco through field surveys, in order to provide better guidance for public policies.

"In carrying out our work, we have been able to count on the support and collaboration of both the UNHCR and the Ministry of Interior," he said, adding that Morocco has placed its migration policy in a common frame of reference based on HM King Mohammed VI's High Guidelines and the Kingdom's humanist policy.

For his part, Mr. Reybet-Degat said that this agreement embodies a very close cooperation between the HCP and UNHCR which is part of the National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum initiated in 2013 by the Kingdom.

It is an inclusive strategy since it ensures access to education for refugees and for those with a residence permit to employment, he said, noting that the agreement will document the status of implementation of this strategy through studies and joint methodological work.