Kenya Asks UN to Move Refugees

20 April 2011

Nairobi — The government has asked to the international community to consider relocating Somali refugees to a third country or safer areas in their country.

Internal Security permanent secretary Francis Kimemia said the government had suggested that some camps could be created in fairly stable areas like Jubaland, where the African Mission in Somalia or the Transitional Federal Government forces can provide security. “The long-term option is to urgently stabilise Somalia since Kenya may not host the refugees forever,” Mr Kimemia said.

He also urged the UN to increase the humanitarian assistance to Somalia to reduce the refugees influx.

UNHCR’s representative in Kenya Elike Segbor said his organisation was open to any solution that would help Kenya and Somalia address the issue.

However, he said that resettling refugees in their home country would be a daunting task.

“They will no longer be refugees, but IDPs,” he said, adding that the IDPs would thus legally remain under the protection of their own government.

Public Service assistant minister Ahmed Aden Sugow said that the agreement signed between the UNHCR and Kenya did not fully address the problems of the host community.

To boost security in these regions, UNHCR has set aside Sh320 million to help Kenya address national security concerns through management of refugees.

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