Kenya Seeks U.S. $100 Million to Support Repatriation of Somali Refugees

Kenyan government has requested 8.8 billion shillings ($100 million) from the international community for the repatriation of Somali refugees, in advance of a meeting Wednesday (August 20th) in Addis Ababa between countries hosting Somali refugees, Kenya’s The Star reported.

The funds will go towards safely repatriating Somali refugees now residing in Kenya, and providing them adequate resources upon their return home.

Kenya also requested “international political goodwill” as compensation for its participation in the repatriation efforts, and accused Somalia of a “lack of political goodwill” in the joint repatriation efforts.

Somalia reportedly withdrew from tripartite negotiations on repatriation between the governments of Kenya and Somalia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last week.

Somalia has previously declined to participate in tripartite negotiations, citing Kenya’s human rights abuses against Somali nationals.

Cabinet Secretary of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government Joseph ole Lenku will represent Kenya at the Addis Ababa meeting, with representatives from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen also in attendance, as well as UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.

Kenya intends to use the meeting as an opportunity to discuss means of facilitating the refugees’ safe return, said Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government spokesperson Mwenda Njoka.