UNHCR Special Envoy advocates for a regional awakening of the Somalia situation during Djibouti visit

DJIBOUTI, 7 November 2016 (UNHCR) — UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Somalia Situation advocated for a regional awakening of the Somalia situation during a three-day visit to Djibouti over the weekend. The visit marked the beginning of the Special Envoy’s familiarization tour of countries hosting Somali refugees. 

During a meeting with H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, Ambassador Mohamed Abdi Affey said, “There is need for us to refocus our regional efforts in order to find a lasting solution to the Somali refugee crisis.” He added that he hoped to seek in Djibouti a champion for the sub-region for Somali refugees.

The Special Envoy acknowledged Djibouti’s longstanding hospitality in providing access to its territory for people fleeing conflict in neighbouring regions. Djibouti currently hosts over 24,000 refugees from the region; more than 70% are from Somalia.

Ambassador Affey commended the new refugee law which is designed to provide a legal framework to ensure the protection of refugees in Djibouti. The law has been approved by Djibouti Council of Ministers and is expected to pass through parliament this week.

Ambassador Affey held separate consultations with Djibouti’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Education. He praised the government’s efforts to promote refugee education and announced the support of UNHCR to hold a regional conference on education at the ministerial level which would ensure refugees have the best opportunities for schooling. He advocated for the provision of birth certificates for refugee children born before 2013, a service that is currently only available to Djiboutian nationals. Without birth certificates, refugee children have limited opportunities for higher education and employment. The Special Envoy commended the government’s support to UNHCR through the Office National d’Assistance aux Refugies et Sinistres (ONARS). ONARS partners with UNHCR in refugee response and assistance and manages the refugee camps in Djibouti.

The UNHCR Special Envoy, who was accompanied by UNHCR Representative, Mr Paul Ndaitouroum, also met with the Executive Secretary of IGAD, the Charge d’Affaires of the Somali Embassy, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator.

The Special Envoy discussed cooperation between UNHCR and IGAD during a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the intergovernmental body, Ambassador (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim. He called for the creation of a regional platform to enable humanitarian and development actors involved in the Somalia situation to engage in providing protection as well as in promoting peaceful co-existence with host communities, sustainable livelihoods and ultimately durable solutions. He appealed for regional support to the Government of Djibouti in providing solutions for refugees, and to the Government of Somalia to create conditions which would allow for dignified voluntarily return of refugees.

The highlight of the Special Envoy’s mission was a visit to Ali Addeh Refugee Camp. He met with refugee leaders, mothers and youth from the Somali and Ethiopian communities. The refugees stressed the importance of certified education for the children in the camp in order to provide opportunities for them and to curb migration. Some refugees expressed the wish to return to Somalia and indicated willingness to participate in go-and-see visits. It is customary for UNHCR to organize go-and-see visits for refugees to appreciate conditions in places they wish to return to.

Ambassador Affey also met with the leader of the host community who asserted the long and warm relationship between refugees and the Ali Addeh community. Ali Addeh is Djibouti’s biggest refugee camp hosting over 14,000 refugees, most of them Somalis. Ali Addeh also hosts new arrivals from the Oromia region in Ethiopia.

Djibouti has been welcoming refugees since its independence in 1977. Djibouti, a small country with a population of just over 800,000 has hosted refugees from Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen as a result of reasons of conflict and drought. Djibouti currently hosts 24,000 refugees, over 70 per cent of whom are Somali refugees.

Media contacts:

In Djibouti, Amira Abd El-Khalek, abdelkha@unhcr.org +253 7722 6136

Special Envoy in discussion with refugees in Ali Addeh Camp, Djibouti.