Highlights
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta held talks with Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke who paid him a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi.
The two discussed bilateral relations between Kenya and Somalia and also discussed the Somali refugees’ situation in Kenya.
Summary
On Saturday 7th November, 2015, Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke paid Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta a courtesy call at State house after the Somali PM had met with Somali refugees in Dadaad camp in Kenya’s North Eastern province.
Sharmarke affirmed his government’s commitment to cooperating with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Kenya Government in ensuring a smooth repatriation of the refugees.
On Friday 6th November, 2015 Sharmarke arrived in Dadaab refugee camp alongside a high delegation from Somalia including Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe, members of Somali cabinet and officials of UNHCR. The delegation arrived on a mission to check on the Somalis being hosted in Kenya.
Mr. Uhuru and Mr. Sharmarke agreed on the need to fully operationalize the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), saying it was an important vehicle for boosting bilateral engagements between Kenya and Somalia.
Sharmarke thanked Uhuru and the Government of Kenya for playing a pivotal role in the ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia.
Some Somali refugees who are being hosted in Kenya fled their country as early as 25 years ago.
There are increasing concerns that necessitate the repatriation of Somali refugees back to their country.
First, is the need for them to go and contribute to the development of their country even as Somalia approaches general elections in 2016.
Then there is general need for Kenya to take pre-emptive measures to guard her security. There have been previous incidences of terror cell mushrooming from the refugee camp which link themselves to Somalia.
