Plan to send refugees back to Somalia suffers hitch

A programme to repatriate Somali refugees living in Kenya suffered a major setback when over 40 countries meeting in Brussels, Belgium, failed to pledge the needed funds.

Kenya and Somalia need at least $500 million (Sh50 billion) for the repatriation.

However, the Brussels conference last week pledged only $105 million (about 10.5 billion) — a fifth of the targeted amount.

The two countries, together with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), are overseeing the programme for the voluntary return of refugees to Somalia, called the "Plan of Action".

“The over 100 million (dollars) pledged so far is considered a good beginning and it is hoped that it will serve to attract other funding soon. Therefore, we believe the amount pledged out of the total request will not impact negatively on the planned repatriation,” Mr Gamal Hassan, Somalia’s ambassador to Nairobi told the Nation.

The European Union, which hosted the meeting, committed €60 million (about 9.42 billion) “to support creation of sustainable solutions for Somali refugees in Somalia and in the region”.

Of this amount, €50 million will go towards reintegrating the refugees and internally displaced people in Somalia by providing schools, clinics and social centres in addition to giving returnees tokens for livelihoods.

The remaining amount, according to the UNHCR, will go towards supporting Kenyan communities near the Dadaab refugee camp and providing relief for refugees in vulnerable situations.

The conference was organised just one year to the expiry of the Tripartite Agreement signed between Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR in 2013 to encourage refugees to go back home voluntarily.

It is feared the deal will expire without fulfilling its intended purpose.