The recently concluded London-Somalia conference held on 11 May 2017 brought together heads of states and governments from across the Horn and East Africa and other key partners as well as senior figures from international organisations. This was the third such conference, following similar events in 2012 and 2013. The aims of this year’s conference were to agree on coordinated support for a new security architecture, promote more inclusive, stable politics, and to work towards economic recovery. Several side events were held to bolster the contributions of the diaspora communities and civil society, help accelerate Somalia’s economic recovery and to support refugees and their host communities in the region. With continued pressure to work towards the closure of Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and large scale repatriation to Somalia taking place, the quest to find durable solutions for Somali refugees remains timely.
The side event on supporting refugees and their host communities in the region was hosted by the UK government alongside the United Nations High Comissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the European Union and brought together representatives of countries in the Horn and East Africa that are applying the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants in addition to international donors and financial institutions and civil society organisations.
After the conference and side event, we sat down with UNHCR’s Special Envoy on the Somali Refugee Situation, Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Affey. He began by sharing his thoughts about the meetings.
Affey: The conference was an important turning point for the stability of Somalia. It focused on issues that currently require attention, particularly on security, and to attract the attention of the international community to find solutions for the protracted situation in the country. The meeting brought together the neighbours of Somalia who are the frontline supporters as displaced Somalis moved to the sub regions. Nobody wants to be a refugee forever. No refugee I have met in the camps wishes to live in them forever. They aspire to go back home and wish to rebuild their lives and rejoin their communities. The conditions in Somalia must be conducive to enable that return. As we speak the country is not fit for mass return. It is still grappling with terrorist groups and the government’s capacity remains weak. We are therefore happy that the London-Somalia conference has shed particular light on the security situation and has helped to bring focus on stability requirements for those displaced inside Somalia and in the region.
REF: In addition to the country being stable and secure, the refugees need social provision and skills to be able to attain their livelihoods. How are UNHCR and host countries in the region responding to these needs?
Affey: To be able to find durable solutions we must have a regional approach as we have Somali refugees displaced in six countries in the region. The first step that I took after my appointment was to remobilise the regional leaders and met all the presidents in the region. I also met the refugees in all of the camps in the region including those in Yemen. I organised a meeting on the 25th of March 2017, bringing together all the leaders in the region who agreed on a declaration.
The declaration includes providing protection and asylum to those who still need it, particularly in light of the current drought situation. Part of the protection is to build the capacity of the refugees in the camps. President of Kenya has led the effort to pledge $1million for vocational training in Dadaab refugee camp. My campaign is to enhance skills provision, opportunities for trade and free movement for the refugees in order to connect with host communities. I’m also advocating for the sharing of responsibility, which means that the international community must do more to support the host communities. At the moment the Somali refugee situation seems like a forgotten crisis as refugees from Syria, Iraq, Yemen seem to be competing for media attention. It was important for me to bring the spotlight back to the Somali refugees. In all the camps I have visited, I have noticed a deep sense of hopelessness. There is also a nutritional crisis due to reduced funding for the camps, which I have raised with the UN agencies.
REF: There seems to be a political conundrum with those displaced in Somaliland, which the international community sees as internally displaced but Somaliland considers them refugees. How are you dealing with that precarious situation?
Affey: We have been engaging with the Somaliland government and I plan to visit them soon and have a dialogue. There is a need to seek financial support for the Somaliland government in order for them to assist the people in need, whether they are seen as refugees or internally displaced. Our campaign is global and aims to support any Somali person displaced in the region.
REF: How are you addressing the dependency syndrome that may affect refugees who have been living in the camps for decades and have grown used to aid? Are there efforts to assist refugees to attain a sense of self-reliance? Many that have already been repatriated to Somalia have joined IDP camps after they ran out of the financial assistance they were given.
Affey: The first step is to start building their capacity inside the camps before repatriation. This is being done through the host governments so that refugees can get the skills required to be useful members of society, whether that’s in the host countries or for when they go back to Somalia. This is what I’m advocating for. Secondly, massive investment in resources is needed in Somalia. The international community hasn’t given Somalia due attention in terms of investment and developing the infrastructure of the country. I have appealed to the international financial institutions to allow Somalia to access their resources and to give debt relief. A country can’t survive without massive investment and this must become a priority.