By Lucas Barasa
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
The closure of the Dadaab refugee complex and the repatriation of Somali refugees will be carried out in a humane manner, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has said.
This assurance was given during a meeting of the Tripartite Agreement Partners - Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Abdisalam Omer and representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kenya and Somalia - at Ms Mohamed's office in Nairobi.
The meeting reviewed the challenges that have led to limited success in assisted repatriation of refugees since the signing of the agreement in November 2013.
A press release from the ministry said that to ensure an orderly and humane process, the government had formed a task-force that will outline the modalities of the repatriation.
Noting the failure of the international community to translate their pledges into concrete support, the meeting expressed concern at the neglect of the Somali displacement and refugee crisis, the statement said.
EQUAL OBLIGATION
"Both ministers committed to working together and underscored an equal obligation of the international community in contributing to successful repatriation that restores dignity and hope to the thousands of people that have been displaced in conditions of squalor for more than two decades," it added.
Mr Omer expressed appreciation of his country for the "sacrifice that Kenya has made in hosting the Somali refugees for over two decades."
"Somalis are very grateful to Kenyans for keeping our nationals for 20 years or more.
"They have given them homes, investment opportunities and [they have] lived in Kenya as their home.
"We appreciate Kenya and are sure it will carry out the current exercise in the most humane manner," said Mr Omer.
He informed the meeting that his government was willing and ready to receive the refugees back and to ensure safe return and settlement.
He appealed to the international community to help finance the repatriation.
Both ministers expressed confidence that the remaining time-frame of the current tripartite agreement will provide an opportunity and ample time to hasten the repatriation and contribute to the on-going stabilisation of Somalia.