NAIROBI: On his inaugural visit as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih urged for heightened international collaboration to develop solutions that enable refugees to rebuild their lives effectively. During his stop in Nairobi, following a visit to Kakuma municipality in northern Kenya, Salih acknowledged Kenya's enduring commitment to hosting refugees and its forward-thinking policies that permit refugees to work and access essential services such as health care, education, and financial services.
According to African Press Organization, Salih emphasized Kenya's unwavering solidarity for those in need, despite limited resources, through policies that promote self-reliance and economic growth. He highlighted Kakuma as a symbol of transformation and innovation, advocating for solutions that allow refugees to live with dignity and contribute to society, instead of being trapped in aid dependency.
The Shirika Plan, spearheaded by the Kenyan government, is an ambitious framework aimed at transitioning from humanitarian assistance to refugee self-reliance and peaceful coexistence with host communities. This plan facilitates refugees' access to legal identity papers, work permits, mobile money and banking services, public education, and universal health care.
In Kenya, over 800,000 refugees and asylum-seekers reside, with approximately 300,000, primarily from South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, seeking safety in Kakuma. The lack of humanitarian funding has severe consequences, as less than a quarter of UNHCR's needs-based budget for Kenya was funded last year. Both refugees and host communities are experiencing reductions in health care, water, and education services, with protection services significantly decreased due to overcrowded reception centers and reduced support for children and survivors of gender-based violence.
Salih warned that the funding crisis threatens lives and could undermine the progress achieved so far. He emphasized the urgent need for development actors, international financial institutions, donors, and the private sector to increase their support for the Shirika Plan, which holds significant potential for transforming the futures of refugees and their host communities.
In Nairobi, Salih also met with President William Ruto and other senior government officials, commending Kenya's historic role in welcoming refugees and expressing gratitude for the government's commitment to progressive refugee policies.