The first journeys enabled relatives separated for decades to meet during five-day stays. Flights operated in both directions: refugees travelled to Laayoune while residents of the territory visited relatives in the camps.
The programme formed part of confidence-building measures addressing prolonged family separation. UNHCR distinguished it from an organized permanent repatriation programme. These reunions were neither a political settlement nor a change in refugee status; they created a practical opportunity for contact despite the diplomatic impasse.