UN General Assembly
2016

For the past two and a half decades, the region has been seized with a situation in Somalia. Throughout that time, Kenya has stood with Somalia, provided a safe haven for refugees, joined peacekeeping missions and invested heavily in resources to combat Al-Shabaab and its affiliates. That solidarity has helped to substantially weaken Al-Shabaab, liberate large swaths of land in Somalia and provide space for the Somali Government to begin the journey of rehabilitation and reconstruction. It is in that context that the Government of Somalia has strongly expressed its willingness to receive its citizens who are currently refugees — not just in Kenya, but in other parts of the world. For its part, Kenya has committed to $10 million this year to support the safe, orderly, voluntary and dignified repatriation of more than 400,000 Somali refugees living in Kenya. Sadly, the efforts of the region and of Somalia’s neighbours have not been matched by the commitment of the international community.