The Global Initiative on Somali Refugees in Addis-ababa have been launched...
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Meeting was the chance[/caption]His Excellency the Prime Minister of Somalia visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to deliberate the refugee state of affairs and launching the Global Initiative on Somali Refugees (GISR). Among the host were; Special Representative of the Secretary General, and representatives of AU, IGAD. H.E Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed stated that there are over 1 million Somalis who mostly live as refugees as well as another million who are displaced as a result of conflict, drought and famine and other ills afflicting the Somali nation.
H.E Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed expressed how grateful he is to donors and agencies such as UNHCR and other sister UN agencies, the IOM, NGOs both local and International, for extending help to Somali refugee and IDPs, nevertheless they do not adequately match the needs: witness the chronically underfunded Humanitarian Appeal for Somalia.
H.E Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed stated:
“I want to express the deeply felt gratitude of myself and the Somali people for the asylum accorded to them and for the kind hospitality with which way they are being hosted by their brothers and sisters in the five neighboring countries here represented.
“International recognition of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia gave impetus to the search for solutions to alleviate the suffering of our people and has led to the setting up of the National Agency for Refugees, Returnees and IDPs.” he said
Furthermore, despite many impediments Somali refugees have made significant contributions to their home country for example through life saving remittances as well as to the countries from which they have received asylum. They are therefore not a burden but people who contribute to the economies of host countries, by using their qualities and skills as survivors and entrepreneurs. The majority of these refugees and IDPs are unfortunately the most vulnerable in our society: the women children and the elderly. Their needs are massive requiring equally massive levels of assistance which is increasingly becoming difficult to obtain.
One of its immediate tasks was to embark on negotiations with Kenya which was hosting nearly 500,000 refugees, the largest group of Somali refugees anywhere in the world. This resulted in the signing on Nov 10th 2014 by FGS of a Tripartite Agreement for Voluntary Repatriation of Somali refugees living in Kenya. H.E Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed recently met with the President of Kenya and his Deputy to discuss further the implementation of the agreement which provides the legal framework for the modest, orderly and voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees. Implementation of its main provisions will occur soon and to enter into similar agreements with the countries hosting Somali refugees who are represented in this meeting.
H.E Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has further affirmed that his government is dedicated to removing as many obstacles as possible to repatriation and reintegration of the Somali people in their home country. In this connection the government will be expanding, with the help of the National Somali Army together with AMISOM, areas of peaceful coexistence, governance and , development; inter-ministerial task force has been established to mitigate the negative impact of the potentially devastating drought. The Global Initiative is a marker on a journey the goal however should be the implementation and its outcomes for the initiative.
Communique of Ministerial Meeting on the Somali Refugee Situation commits to fresh impetus for durable solutions for Somali refugees
Statement by the Governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen; the African Union; the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development; the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia; the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees upon conclusion of Ministerial Meeting of the High Commissioner’s Global Initiative on Somali Refugees in Addis Ababa on 20 August 2014 have been sign new process to Somali ref situation.
1. We, as key stakeholders, express appreciation to the High Commissioner for having launched the Global Initiative on Somali Refugees (GISR) to catalyse fresh impetus for durable solutions for Somali refugees.
2. Through the ‘Addis Ababa Commitment towards Somali Refugees’, we reiterate our gratitude to the Governments and the people of the key asylum countries for their solidarity and hospitality extended to Somali refugees for decades. We resolutely reaffirm our commitment to maintain asylum and international protection for Somali refugees and to intensify the search for durable solutions for them.
3. Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Yemen together today host nearly one million Somali refugees. Another one million Somalis remain displaced internally within Somalia itself. In their more than two decades of exile, Somali refugees have received protection, been assisted and some even been able to rebuild their lives. Yet, thousands have now for over two generations not had a future. Over time, their plight is even being forgotten as new situations elsewhere in Africa and globally have commanded greater attention. To keep forgetting their predicament is not forgivable. We must remain committed and engaged both within the region and internationally.
4. Emerging signs of stability in Somalia are heartening. The establishment of a government in Mogadishu, expedited state formation, progress towards holding elections in 2016 and the efforts of the Somali National Army with AMISOM to liberate areas within Somalia signify crucial progress. However, we remain gravely concerned about the security breaches, particularly terrorist attacks by al-Shabaab and other militia, which undermine the positive steps, perpetuate a fragile security situation, limit humanitarian assistance to displaced Somalis, risk the displacement of more Somalis and frustrate opportunities for the safe and sustainable return to their homes of Somali refugees and internally displaced persons many of whom are eager to do so.
5. The Somali Federal Government renews its determination to multiply all efforts for peace and political, social and economic stability and progress of Somalia and its people. As Somalia’s neighbours and partners, we renew our commitment to stand by and support Somalia and its long-suffering people. We call upon the international community at large to meaningfully support the capacity of the Somali Government to create peace, security, law and order, social and economic progress and sustainability in Somalia and address humanitarian imperatives including assuring food security for Somalia and basic services and amenities. These are also the conditions which will mitigate against new or additional displacement and make voluntary, safe and sustainable repatriation in significant numbers possible.
6. For Somalis who continue to need safety in exile, more comprehensive support should be extended to the asylum countries and host communities to strengthen asylum and international protection. All feasible and creative solutions should be explored and supported for refugees to realize themselves as full and self-reliant members of society who can meet their basic human and community needs. In particular, we call for further financial support and all other forms of increased solidarity and responsibility-sharing to meet basic human and social needs, link humanitarian assistance to development programmes and address the impacts of hosting refugees.
7. More opportunities for the resettlement of Somali refugees should be provided. Somali refugees who are spontaneously returning to their country should be supported to do so in all feasible ways so that they are not forced back into exile. The participation of the refugees themselves and of the Somali diaspora and the private sector at large should be increased.
8. For all these purposes, we hereby endorse a renewed engagement for Somali refugees which binds us to act in solidarity to address the imperatives of this pressing problem. At the heart of these commitments are guiding principles which emphasize the importance of the Somali Federal Government’s commitment in actions concerning Somali refugees, the imperative of continued support to host communities, the need to increase refugee participation and the Somali diaspora at large in future actions and to create differentiated solutions for a diverse refugee population, the benefits of considering new alternatives for long-staying refugees, and the importance of engaging new actors in the search for solutions.
9. We undertake to work with national, regional and international partners in a coordinated manner to give effect to the renewed commitments and outcomes of relevant sub-regional and regional meetings. We call upon the international community, through the Global Initiative on Somali Refugees, to commit to the renewed engagement and work together for a more meaningful life for Somali refugees.