How Israel’s UNRWA ban will impact Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank

UNRWA provides health care services to half a million Palestinian refugees, covering 70-80 percent of needs in Gaza before the latest war erupted. (AFP)
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Updated 21 November 2024
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How Israel’s UNRWA ban will impact Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank

  • Knesset has passed two bills banning the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency from operating within Israeli territory and cooperating with authorities
  • Aid organizations warn that the legislation, slated to take effect in January, will have “catastrophic” consequences for Gaza amid “apocalyptic” situation

LONDON: In just a matter of weeks, the main UN agency providing vital services to millions of Palestinian refugees will no longer be able to do so. Israel is expected to enforce new laws banning UNRWA, a move the agency says will halt its vast operations providing aid, health care and schooling in Gaza and the West Bank.

Not only will lifesaving services be taken away, but Palestinians fear that if UNRWA comes to an end, so too will a fundamental pillar of their refugee status — the right of return to their homes.

Israel claims UNRWA has been infiltrated by militants, but the agency’s chiefs deny this and they, along with humanitarian groups and many governments, warn of catastrophic consequences if UNRWA stops operating.

For Gaza, which is on the verge of famine after a 13-month onslaught from Israel that has killed nearly 44,000 people, the outcomes are unthinkable.

On Oct. 28, the Israeli parliament passed two laws by overwhelming majority that will make it impossible for UNRWA to continue its work in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

The first law barred UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory while the second prohibited Israeli authorities from engaging with the agency in any form. 

The bills, set to take effect within 90 days of their adoption, did not provide an alternative organization to UNRWA for delivering aid or essential services.

Over a series of press conferences, briefings and statements, Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA commissioner-general, has become increasingly exasperated as he pleads with other nations to put pressure on Israel to halt the action.




UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. (Supplied)

He says not only will the collapse of his agency have devastating humanitarian consequences for Palestinians, but also removing services like education will fuel radicalization and have a destabilizing effect on the Middle East.

Lazzarini argues that such a step by a UN member state against a UN agency would also significantly undermine the international rules-based order that those members signed up to.

Shortly after the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, passed the bills, he warned that the vote “sets a dangerous precedent.”

DID YOUKNOW?

2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza depend on aid from UNRWA.

600,000 Children in Gaza receive education through UNRWA.

17,000 UNRWA staff in the occupied Palestinian territories.

(Source: UNRWA)

“It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law,” he said.

Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary-general, slammed the vote as an “unconscionable law” and “an outright attack on the rights of Palestinian refugees.”

UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in response to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land in 1948, which led to the formation of the Israeli state. In what became known as the Nakba, meaning catastrophe, 700,000 people were driven from their homes.




Palestinian refugees queue for food distributed by the UNRWA at a camp in Gaza on November 9, 1956. (AFP)

The agency was tasked with helping refugees scattered across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria until they could return home. With no “right of return” solution ever reached with Israel, UNRWA’s work has continued, providing many services in lieu of a functioning government.

Yet despite the agency’s work, it has always faced criticism from Israel. One of the main charges against UNRWA is that it perpetuates the Palestinian refugee issue by keeping alive the notion of a “right of return” passed down through generations — something Israel views as unrealistic and unimaginable.

Palestinians believe that without the agency, their status as refugees would be undermined and they fear they would be pressured into settling wherever they have ended up.

Lazzarini said on Monday that Israel’s aim in attacking UNRWA was to strip Palestinians of their refugee status. But he insisted that whether his agency existed or not, their refugee status would be protected by UN General Assembly resolutions.




A right-wing Israeli protesters demonstrate in front of the UNRWA office in Jerusalem on March 20, 2024. (AFP)

In recent years, Israel has increasingly accused the agency of employing Hamas members and other militants among its 13,000-strong Gaza workforce.

Hamas has been in power since seizing the territory from Palestinian rivals Fatah in 2007 and UNRWA has had to tread a fine line between the militant group and Israel.

It comes under pressure from both sides about the curriculum taught in its schools or whether it is showing bias toward one side or the other.

In late January, Israeli authorities accused several UNRWA employees of involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages.

The UN secretary-general ordered an investigation which reported in August that nine staff members may have been involved in the attacks. UNRWA fired the employees but said it had supplied full lists of the people it employs since 2011.




Israeli protesters demonstrate in front of the UNRWA office in Jerusalem on March 20, 2024. (AFP)

Many Western countries suspended their funding for UNRWA while the investigation was carried out, a major blow given the agency’s budget is almost entirely funded by donations from UN member states. All except the US have since reinstated the money.

An independent review of the agency published in April said UNRWA had a “robust” framework to deal with neutrality but that issues such as staff publicly expressing political views and textbooks with problematic content being used in some UNRWA schools persisted.

Nevertheless, the level to which UNRWA is entwined with the fabric of Palestinian society means that removing its services would leave a huge gap in how the territories function.

Of most immediate concern, the Israeli legislation would remove desperately needed aid and health care from Gaza.




Palestinian children queue for food in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Nov. 18, 2024. (AP)

In a statement on X after the vote, Lazzarini described the laws as “nothing less than collective punishment” that will “only deepen the suffering of Palestinians, especially in Gaza where people have been going through more than a year of sheer hell.”

More than 2 million people in Gaza have endured relentless Israeli bombing and a deepening humanitarian crisis since the war started. The population is fully dependent on the aid allowed into the territory by Israel. Families suffer severe shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter. 

The bombing and military operations destroyed essential infrastructure, razed entire districts and displaced almost the entire population. Along with the tens of thousands killed, mostly women and children, more than 100,000 have been injured, according to Gaza’s health authority.




Over two-thirds of UNRWA’s premises in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes. (AFP)

An UNRWA spokesperson told Arab News that without the agency “the delivery of food, shelter, and health care to most of Gaza’s population would grind to a halt.”

A joint statement by 15 UN and humanitarian organizations on Nov. 1 warned that the legislation against UNRWA would be a “catastrophe” for the aid response in Gaza where “there is no alternative to UNRWA.”

Indeed, relief groups have repeatedly accused Israeli authorities of aid obstruction. While Israel has denied this, data analysis by aid organizations operating in Gaza found that 83 percent of food aid does not make it into the enclave.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told a UN briefing in Geneva in mid-November that aid access across Gaza has been “at a low point.” 

“Chaos suffering, despair, death, destruction, displacement is at a high point,” he said, adding that delivering assistance in northern Gaza was “near impossible.” 




A Palestinian woman holds the shrouded body of child killed in Israeli bombardment, at a health clinic in the area of Tel al-Sultan in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on May 26, 2024. (AFP)

The ramifications of the new laws will extend beyond Gaza, across the entire occupied Palestinian territories. 

“In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, without UNRWA, health, education and social services to Palestine refugees would fall apart,” the UNRWA spokesperson said. 

Addressing a UN General Assembly committee last week, Lazzarini warned the risk of UNRWA’s collapse “threatens the lives and futures of individuals and communities.”  

UNRWA delivers education to more than 660,000 children across Gaza and at least 50,000 in the West Bank. If the agency's work stops, “an entire generation will be denied the right to education,” Lazzarini added: “Their future will be sacrificed, sowing the seeds for marginalization and extremism.” 




Palestinian children play at UNRWA-run school in the Qalandia refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Nov. 14, 2024. (AFP)

The agency provides health care services to half a million Palestinian refugees, covering 70-80 percent of needs in Gaza before the war. 

Banning UNRWA would also put at risk the jobs of 17,000 employees in Gaza and the West Bank.

More than 240 UNRWA personnel have already been killed in the Gaza war and others have been detained and tortured. 

UNRWA is a “casualty” of the Gaza war and “not a party” to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Lazzarini said.

“Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, and Israeli forces have allegedly used our premises for military purposes,” he added. 

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Away from Gaza, concern is growing that the demise of UNRWA would erode the refugee status of Palestinians, further weakening their cause. 

The non-governmental organization Medical Aid for Palestinians warned that discrediting UNRWA “undermined the international legal framework protecting their (Palestinian refugees) rights, including the right of return.” 

Rafe Jabari, a researcher on the political sociology of Arab states, told Arab News that UNRWA plays a critical role in “keeping the refugee question on track” while providing the international community with essential data and insights on the situation in Gaza.




A Palestinian girl walks past a World Health Organization (WHO) storage center destroyed in a recent Israeli bombardment in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Nov. 19, 2024. (AFP)

Israeli officials have “banned the entry of international journalists” into Gaza and “are now attacking the most important, neutral, and impartial organization (UNRWA),” he said.

“By eliminating this important source of information, the Israelis aim to obscure their practices and policies on the ground, undermining the credibility of other sources and, in turn, denying the outcomes of their actions.”

Despite the widespread concern over UNRWA’s future, there is no sign that Israel may be willing to halt the ban and little detail on how its work could be replaced.

“UNRWA may be defined by a single word — failure,” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon told a meeting of the General Assembly on UNRWA earlier this month. “This idea that UNRWA could not be supplemented is absurd.”




Displaced Palestinians walk amid blood-stained rubble following an Israeli strike that hit a UN-run school where people had taken refuge, in the Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Nov, 20, 2024. (AFP)

Yet, as the clock ticks toward the ban being enforced, the warnings from the UN grow even louder, with officials saying Israel will have to step in when UNRWA is no longer operating.

Speaking in Geneva on Monday, Lazzarini said while there was no functioning state or institutions for Palestinians, then the role of UNRWA was “irreplaceable.”

“There is no Plan B,” he said.
 

 


Meeting Trump, Turkiye’s Erdogan hails Iran-Israel truce

Updated 9 sec ago
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Meeting Trump, Turkiye’s Erdogan hails Iran-Israel truce

  • The Turkish president “expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump’s efforts

THE HAGUE: Turkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a NATO summit late Tuesday, hailing the Iran-Israel ceasefire and urging “close dialogue” to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Turkish president “expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump’s efforts, hoping it would be permanent, and emphasized the importance of close dialogue... in peacefully resolving the Russia-Ukraine war,” a statement from his office said.

 

 


Lebanon’s revival hangs in the balance as conflict flares between Israel and Iran

Updated 45 min 39 sec ago
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Lebanon’s revival hangs in the balance as conflict flares between Israel and Iran

  • As nightlife returns and tourists arrive, a fragile sense of hope grows — but one missile could shatter Lebanon’s recovery
  • With Hezbollah weakened and a new government in power, Lebanon teeters between a long-awaited revival and renewed conflict

BEIRUT: Colorful fireworks, sparkler-topped champagne bottles, and the occasional ballistic missile became regular features of nights out at Lebanon’s many rooftop bars and nightclubs last week, as Iran and Israel exchanged fire — providing revelers with a grim and surreal light show.

Social media has been flooded with videos of young people defiantly celebrating life as missiles arc across the night sky. This blend of dark humor and fatalistic resilience reflects a deeper yearning among Lebanese to break free from the endless cycles of conflict.

“The Lebanese love to celebrate as a way of compensating for all the crises they have endured,” Jean Beiruti, secretary-general of the Tourism Syndicates Union, told Arab News.

“Perhaps the clearest proof of this is the widely shared clips of wedding parties and nightclub gatherings even as missiles flew across Lebanon’s skies.”

This summer was meant to mark a renaissance for Lebanon — a glimmer of hope after years of economic collapse and political paralysis.

 

 

A new president and prime minister, untainted by the corruption of their predecessors, had taken office. Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed armed group, had been severely weakened after a devastating war with Israel.

Signs of revival had begun to appear. Tourists from across the region — notably Emiratis — were returning, choosing Lebanon as their summer retreat.

The familiar hum of vibrant nightlife had returned, and Lebanon’s famed hospitality was once again on full display, suggesting the country might finally be stepping out from the shadow of turmoil.

Yet the juxtaposition of festivity and fragility has never felt starker.

A new president and prime minister, untainted by the corruption of their predecessors, represent a glimmer of hope for Lebanon after years of economic collapse and political paralysis. (AFP)

As tourists and locals embraced the promise of a carefree summer, the grim reality of regional tensions sometimes broke through.

Rocket fire streaking across Lebanon’s skies served as a chilling reminder of the ever-present threat at its borders.

“The regional developments had a limited impact on the start of Lebanon’s tourism season, particularly concerning flight bookings,” said Beiruti, reflecting on whether the Israel-Iran conflict had harmed tourist footfall.

“While all June bookings were canceled, July reservations remain unaffected so far. Tourism establishments in Lebanon are working flexibly with customers, offering incentives to maintain bookings and avoid cancellations.”

He is nonetheless hopeful that the setback will be temporary.

Smoke and fire errupt from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 5, 2025. (AFP)

“If the security situation stabilizes and flights return to normal, things will go back to the way they were,” he said. “Lebanese expatriates will return with their families to spend the summer in Lebanon. They come every year regardless.

“We have already seen the beginning of Gulf tourism, with visitors arriving from the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as tourists from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. These visitors never stopped coming to Lebanon.”

Nevertheless, the wider turmoil in the region has complicated Lebanon’s return to normalcy. Travel advisories issued by Western governments have discouraged artists and tourists from taking part in the country’s summer festivals.

Most notably, the Beiteddine Festival has postponed its program for a second year in a row.

FASTFACTS

  • Despite regional tensions, Lebanon’s nightlife and tourism sectors show signs of recovery after years of economic and political turmoil.
  • Hezbollah’s weakened status and public wariness have helped Lebanon avoid deeper conflict, offering a brief window for economic revival.

“The opening of the festivals was supposed to feature American artistic groups, but the measure taken by the US State Department advising Americans against traveling to the region prompted us to postpone the festivals,” Hala Chahine, the festival’s spokesperson, told Arab News.

The Baalbeck International Festival may face a similar fate.

“The final decision has not been made yet, and we still have time,” Maya Halabi, the festival’s spokesperson, told Arab News. “The festivals are set to begin at the end of next July, so we can monitor the situation for a sufficient period before making the final decision.”

She added: “The main issue lies with the artistic groups that are set to participate, including those performing in “Carmen,” Georges Bizet’s masterpiece, scheduled for July 25 on the steps of the Temple of Bacchus. They are coming from Romania, Paris and Brazil.”

Tony Ramy, president of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night Clubs and Pastries, said the hospitality sector “had pinned its hopes on the new era in Lebanon, which brought trust and hope, as psychological factors greatly influence the tourism sector.

Local residents inspect the debris and rubble from a collapsed building hit by an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood of Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (AFP)

“Expectations were high, especially with the Arab openness to Lebanon — particularly from the Gulf countries. The Arab tourists are investors in Lebanon, property owners and big brothers to the Lebanese, and we share with them a historical nostalgia.

“Preparations were extensive, and we gathered some time ago at the Phoenicia Hotel — we, the owners of more than 400 restaurants — to declare that the sector was fully ready for the summer season.

“But the recent developments led to a drop in reservations by as much as 70 percent after airlines stopped landing at Beirut Airport.”

On the ground, Lebanese citizens — who personify the phrase ‘it is what it is’ — are living a dual reality. For many, day-to-day concerns like income and access to basic services outweigh the complexities of geopolitics.

Initially, many feared Lebanon would be dragged back into conflict if Hezbollah joined the fight at Iran’s behest. Those fears eased when the group announced it would stay out — for now.

 Lebanese citizens — who personify the phrase ‘it is what it is’ — are living a dual reality. For many, day-to-day concerns like income and access to basic services outweigh the complexities of geopolitics. (AFP)

Thomas Barrack, the US envoy to Syria, had warned Hezbollah against any action that might ignite further instability.

“I can say on behalf of President Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision,” Barrack said after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri last week, responding to a question on what the US position would be on any involvement by Hezbollah in the war.

Speaking in Doha on Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his government had succeeded in avoiding a new war.

“We managed to prevent Lebanon being dragged into a new war or involvement in the regional conflict that was raging, and today we are looking forward to a new page of diplomatic action,” Salam told a press conference in the Qatari capital.

Lebanon’s recovery remains tightly bound to Hezbollah’s trajectory. Once regarded as Iran’s most formidable regional proxy, Hezbollah has been severely weakened. Over the past year, Israeli operations have decimated its leadership and degraded its military capabilities.

Many feared Lebanon would be dragged back into conflict if Hezbollah joined the fight at Iran’s behest. Those fears eased when the group announced it would stay out — for now. (AFP)

The US-brokered ceasefire of November 2024, which Hezbollah was forced to accept, left the group politically isolated and militarily diminished — sidelined in the latest confrontation between Iran and Israel.

Despite its historic role as Iran’s frontline against Israel, Hezbollah has refrained from attacking during the latest crisis. This restraint reflects not only the damage it has sustained, but also shifting public sentiment in Lebanon.

Many Lebanese now question the wisdom of sacrificing their fragile recovery for Iran’s regional ambitions — particularly after Tehran offered little support during Hezbollah’s darkest hours.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was required to retreat north of the Litani River and surrender its weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces — a process still underway.

The latest regional escalation began with Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, prompting missile barrages on Israeli cities. The US responded with direct strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)

The next day, Iran retaliated with missile fire targeting US forces at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, drawing widespread condemnation. All missiles were intercepted and no casualties were reported.

While full-scale war seemed imminent, a fragile ceasefire — announced by US President Donald Trump on Monday — appears to be holding, at least for now.

Although both Israel and Iran have violated the truce in isolated incidents, the pause has allowed ordinary Lebanese to cling to the hope of avoiding further chaos.

Still, anxiety lingers. Lebanon’s recovery remains fragile, and any renewed fighting could draw Hezbollah back into the conflict — with potentially disastrous consequences.

For now, the country stands at a crossroads. The Lebanese people are determined to seize this rare moment of calm to rebuild and reclaim a sense of normal life. But the fate of that recovery may depend on the restraint of regional powers — and the endurance of the ceasefire.

The Lebanese people are determined to seize this rare moment of calm to rebuild and reclaim a sense of normal life. But the fate of that recovery may depend on the restraint of regional powers — and the endurance of the ceasefire. (AFP)

Since the ceasefire was announced, Ramy said the tourism and hospitality sector had received a vital boost.

“The Arab tourists are last-minute planners,” he told Arab News.

“Now we await the Arab tourists from the Gulf, and we expect the arrival of Jordanian and Egyptian tourists. These come quickly because the distance between us is short, and they have their own hotels and restaurants they frequent. We hope for a summer similar to that of 2023.

“What matters most is security and political stability.”

 


Syrian president condemns Iranian attack on Qatar

Updated 24 June 2025
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Syrian president condemns Iranian attack on Qatar

  • Ahmad Al-Sharaa tells Qatari emir that Damascus rejects any aggression that threatens Qatar’s security or undermines regional stability

LONDON: Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa expressed his country’s support for Qatar on Tuesday and condemned the previous day’s attack by Iran on Al-Udeid Air Base, southwest of Doha.

During a telephone call to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, Al-Sharaa described the missile attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a blatant violation of Qatari sovereignty and airspace, and a breach of international law.

He reaffirmed that Damascus rejects any aggression that threatens the security of Qatar or undermines regional stability, the Qatar News Agency reported.

The new government in Damascus, established after former President Bashar Assad’s regime was toppled in December 2024, has shifted away from Assad’s long-standing alliance with Tehran as it works to reintegrate Syria into the Arab fold, and promote diplomacy and economic growth.


About 400 passengers have left Israel on US-assisted flights

Updated 24 June 2025
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About 400 passengers have left Israel on US-assisted flights

  • The State Department is sharing information with over 27,000 people about leaving the region
  • The US started some limited assisted-departure flights for US citizens

WASHINGTON: The United States has helped about 400 US citizens and others to fly out of Israel since Saturday amid conflict with Iran and hopes to accommodate more in the coming days, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

“We very much know that there’s still capacity, still US citizens seeking to leave Israel, that the airspace is not reliably opened up. It is incredibly dynamic,” the official said.

The State Department is sharing information with over 27,000 people about leaving the region and safety and security, the official said, up from 25,000 last week.

The US started some limited assisted-departure flights for US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family members on Saturday.

The official said thousands had also left Israel overland for Jordan, while several hundred had departed through Egypt over the past two days. Several thousand US citizens have gone to Cyprus on ships, mostly arranged by Birthright or other private groups.

Hundreds have left Iran through Azerbaijan, the official said. Turkmenistan has been restricting the entry of US citizens but is now allowing them in after weekend diplomatic efforts.

The State Department is aware of reports of a couple of US citizens detained in Iran in this process but has no additional information to share, the official said.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Israel and Iran had reached a ceasefire
deal, although violations were reported.

Israel launched a surprise attack on June 13, hitting Iran’s nuclear sites and killing the top echelon of its military command.

Retaliatory missile strikes have killed 28 people in Israel.

Adam Goldstone, who arrived in Florida on Tuesday after leaving Israel through an effort to evacuate Americans organized by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Emergency Management, said his family tried any way to get out of the country but that there were not many options.

“It was pretty indescribable. We left Sunday morning. There were sirens. We took a bus all the way to the Jordanian border. We spent hours at the border there trying to cross over,” Goldstone said.

Florida contracted the operation with Grey Bull Rescue, a Tampa-based foundation aiming at rescuing Americans from conflict zones, as well as the state’s Department of Transportation.


His wife, Donna Goldstone, said they had had to run to bomb shelters over 25 times.

“Sleepless nights for the past week and a half. It has been really intense,” she said.


Maroc Telecom raises $330 million in bond issuance on local market

The headquarters of Maroc Telecom in Rabat On November 22, 2004. (AFP file photo)
Updated 15 min 17 sec ago
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Maroc Telecom raises $330 million in bond issuance on local market

  • Maroc Telecom, which is listed on the Casablanca stock exchange and on Euronext Paris, is 53 percent controlled by the UAE’s Etisalat, while the Moroccan state holds a 22 percent stake

RABAT: Maroc Telecom, Morocco’s largest telecoms operator, has raised 3 billion dirhams ($330 million) in its first private bond issuance on the domestic market, it said on Tuesday.
The bond, with a two-year maturity and bullet repayment, was issued at a fixed rate of 2.37 percent, the company said in a statement.
The money will help the company refinance a part of its debt and support its investments in 5G and fiber optic development, it said.
Maroc Telecom, which is listed on the Casablanca stock exchange and on Euronext Paris, is 53 percent controlled by the UAE’s Etisalat, while the Moroccan state holds a 22 percent stake.
Besides Morocco, it operates subsidiaries in Benin, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Togo.