Natitingou’s youth center played host on June 20, 2026, to the official ceremonies marking World Refugee Day 2026.

The opening ceremony was led by Djibril Mama Cissé, Minister of Interior and Public Security, alongside Aminatou Sar, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bénin, and Thomas Wyllie, Deputy Regional Director of the UNHCR for West Africa. Highlights included speeches, visits to exhibition booths showcasing income-generating activities by refugees, and the planting of trees.

This year’s international theme, “Until everyone is safe”, underscores global reflection on refugees and asylum seekers. Bénin currently hosts 29,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with an additional 14,000 pending status recognition.

Aminatou Sar emphasized the real pressure these numbers place on Bénin but praised the government’s and people’s commitment to welcoming and protecting displaced individuals. The UN system, she noted, remains actively engaged in Bénin, providing daily support for displaced persons, ensuring access to food, healthcare, education, and psychosocial assistance.

Minister Djibril Mama Cissé stressed that World Refugee Day reaffirms solidarity with those fleeing persecution, conflict, and violence. The theme, he said, highlights shared responsibility for refugee protection, demanding solidarity, humanity, and international cooperation. Bénin’s strengthened legal and institutional framework guarantees refugees access to essential services, including healthcare, education, employment, and social protection.

Despite regional security challenges, Minister Cissé reiterated Bénin’s adherence to asylum rights and the principle of non-refoulement, ensuring national security and international protection obligations are met through effective identification, registration, and monitoring mechanisms.

Additional remarks were delivered by Thomas Wyllie, Deputy Regional Director of UNHCR for West Africa, the First Deputy Mayor of Natitingou Norbert Tido N’Dah, and refugee spokesperson Albert Nacoulma. The latter reaffirmed refugees’ commitment to respecting Bénin’s laws and fostering social cohesion.

The ceremony concluded with the planting of trees and other activities.