UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has just concluded a three-day event, hosting partners and Governments from the East and Horn of Africa, Great Lakes Region and Yemen, to review strategies for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing displacement crisis in Somalia. The meeting brought together representatives from Uganda, Yemen, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as the regional body, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and provided a platform for sharing insights and aligning efforts among executive and technical teams, as well as government officials from the main countries of asylum. This event followed the first coordination meeting held in June 2024.
Among the main objectives of the meeting was to assess the current operational context in Somalia, evaluate progress on solutions for internal displacement, and discuss the reintegration of returnees. This would also support the process of revitalizing a coordinated solutions process for the Somalia situation, building on the framework established by the 2017 IGAD Nairobi Declaration on Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees and Reintegration of Returnees, which serves as a foundation for addressing forced displacement in Somalia and beyond. The meeting also sought to assess the outcomes of bilateral discussions with the IGAD Support Platform and Türkiye's role in the political process concerning the Somali refugee situation.
Somalia remains one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian crises globally, with the country hosting approximately 3.9 million internally displaced people, among the highest in the region, as well as 40,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Insufficient livelihood opportunities and the rising cost of living have also hampered people's capacities to rely on themselves. Weakened capacities in host countries have also meant limited resources and strained infrastructure, complicating integration efforts and leading to tensions with the displaced.
Yet long-term, predictable funding to provide lifesaving assistance for refugees and local host communities as well as support initiatives that will improve self-reliance has been steadily declining.
At the end of the discussions, participating governments reaffirmed to maintain the asylum space for Somali refugees seeking international protection in their countries. Participants also agreed to enhance visibility of ongoing humanitarian and development efforts aligned with the Nairobi solutions process, culminating in a report that highlights achievements and innovative initiatives by hosting countries. A clear strategy would also be developed to mobilize resources to support solutions for internal displacement, return, and reintegration of Somali returnees, fostering resilience and self-reliance among affected communities. It was also agreed to establish a Long-Term Compact leveraging models from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti to build comprehensive and durable solutions for refugees and host communities.
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The meeting concluded with a donor briefing and represented a critical opportunity to revitalize the coordinated solutions process for the Somalia situation. By fostering collaboration among key stakeholders, the meeting aimed at enhancing efforts to address the protracted humanitarian crisis in Somalia by ensuring that the needs of Somali refugees, asylum seekers, returnees, and IDPs are achieved through effective and sustainable solutions.
A subsequent meeting is scheduled for later in 2024 to review strategies for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing displacement crisis.
