NAIROBI (Halbeeg News) – Kenya on Wednesday ordered the closure of two sprawling camps that host hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Somalia and gave the UN refugee agency – UNHCR – two weeks to present a plan to do so.
The Dadaab and the Kakuma refugee camps in northern Kenya host more than 410,000 people, a small proportion of whom are from South Sudan.
“CS Matiang’i issues UNHCR with a 14-day ultimatum to have a roadmap on definite closure of Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. Says no room for further negotiations,” read part of a tweet from the ministry.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday promptly responded to the Interior Ministry, warning of a catastrophe if the refugees are ejected from the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps which have a population of 218,873 and 196,666 registered refugees respectively.
“The UNHCR has been informed by the Kenyan authorities of their intention to close Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps within a short timeframe. The decision would have an impact on the protection of refugees in Kenya, including in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue our dialogue with the Kenyan authorities on this issue.”
In a statement, the UNHCR urged the government of Kenya to ensure that any decisions it makes allow for suitable and sustainable solutions to be found and that those who continue to need protection are able to receive it.
Dadaab Refugee camp, located in the semi-arid town of Garissa County, is one of the largest and complex camps in the world. The first camp in Dadaab, Kenya, was established in 1991.
Kakuma Refugee Camp is located in Turkana County and is among the largest refugee camps in the world.
The camp was established in 1992 and is jointly managed by the Kenyan Department of Refugee Affairs and UNHCR.
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