Today celebrates a milestone in the asylum regime in Africa.
For on this day 22 years ago, Africa made a solemn commitment to open its doors to refugees, not only to those fleeing persecution but also armed conflict, aggression, foreign domination or events disturbing public order an undertaking that has become a model of generosity. And so it has aptly been designated Africa Refugee Day. Africa Refugee Day is both a happy and sad occasion happy because it serves as a reminder of the decision in the summit of the Organization of African Unity in 1969 to welcome refugees, and sad because in the continent today there still are many people who find themselves in situations that leave them no option but to seek refuge outside their country. In fact, Africa is the continent with the largest number of refugees 6.7 million. In addition, the number of persons displaced in their own countries continues to increase, as it does worldwide.