With the allocation of more than Sh28 billion to the project, the government’s plan to convert the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in Kenya into integrated settlements has seen significant progress.
In order to help refugees become economically independent and self-sufficient, a five-year transition plan known as the Shirika Plan seeks to transform the refugee camps into integrated settlements for both refugees and host communities.
While urging Kenya to fully implement the plan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said on Tuesday that the amount has been mobilised by various development partners for the Shirika Plan, which he described as a progressive solution to the refugee crisis in the country.
“It is crucial that the Shirika Plan be fully implemented soon in terms of refugee rights, documentation, freedom of movement, and so on. I am glad that the rest of the UN agencies are on board with the government’s plan to make the Shirika Plan a reality, we estimate that we have already mobilised over Sh28 billion in support of this plan,” said Mr. Filippo as he called for more donor support for the plan, saying the burden should not be left to Kenya alone.
He also emphasised Kenya’s crucial role in putting an end to conflict in various African regions, as well as how it and other African nations have maintained open borders for people fleeing violence in order to protect and support refugees.
“We know how challenging this can be and has been, and we thank you for upholding not only your legal obligations but also your humanity,” he said.
The World Bank had promised a grant of Sh7 billion for the Kakuma and Kalobeyei communities in Turkana County, said Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
“In addition, the World Bank, through the Ministry of Education and the Department of Refugee Services, is supporting the joint implementation of Kenya Primary Education Equity Learning, which will benefit 117,000 refugees and host communities,” he said.
Mr. Mudavadi pointed out that in order to lessen their reliance on humanitarian aid, host nations are turning host communities into refugee settlements as a result of a global shift in refugee management.
“Kenya cannot afford to be an exception to this trend. I would like to reiterate the government’s commitment to transforming refugee camps into integrated settlements. By promoting the socio-economic integration of refugees, we are collectively preparing them for eventual voluntary repatriation to their home countries,” he said.
He did, however, imply that Nairobi is still open to taking in more refugees, the majority of whom come from neighbouring Somalia, then South Sudan, and finally the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“We have recently reopened our border with the Republic of Somalia and established three border posts to serve as entry points. These will serve not only business, trade, and tourism interests but also genuine asylum seekers,” said the Prime Minister.
Meg Whitman, the US ambassador to Kenya, noted that during her recent visit to the Dadaab refugee camp, she saw a sizable population of over 370,000 refugees, which she compared to the size of Cincinnati, Ohio.
“The importance of the Kenyan government and its unwavering generosity to the region and the wider African continent cannot be overstated. There are citizens from over 20 countries who are now in Kenya under the protection of the government,” she said.
The world observed Refugee Day at a time when more than 100 million people have been uprooted due to political strife, natural disasters, economic upheaval, raging and unrelenting violence, conflict, and persecution in their home countries. An additional 35 million people have fled across borders, depending on the protection and hospitality of receiving nations to survive and rebuild their lives.
Immigration and Citizenship PS Prof. Julius Bitok said Kenya is currently hosting over 600,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in the two major camps in Turkana and Garissa counties and over 94,000 others in major cities including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Eldoret.
Kenya marked World Refugee Day on Tuesday in Nairobi with a high-level forum attended by UN agencies, international financial institutions, including the World Bank, members of the diplomatic community, donor partners, and key private sector partners.
