UN okays closure of Dadaab camp by November-Kenya

The UNITED NATIONS has given the nod to the ultimate closure of the Dadaab camp by Kenya in November this year, Kenya’s foreign Minister has said.

The Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said Wednesday in Brussels the United Nations had acceded to Kenya’s order to close the camp following talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and UN chief Ban Ki-Moon.

“We briefed him on the modalities and means through which we will conduct the exercise. We informed him the process will be humane and in line with international standards,’ said Mohamed.

Mohamed however noted Ban will still need to marshal resources from the General Assembly to ensure the funding of the repatriation process.

In his meeting with Ban Wednesday, Kenyatta stood his ground noting Kenya’s decision was final and would be effected to protect the country’s national security and stem spread of terrorism in the East African country.

The UN Refugee agency UNHCR and Somalia had earlier protested the move by Kenya which started with the disbandment of the Refugee Department in April and subsequent threats to close the camp by the end of the year.

Somali President and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta issued a joint statement last week following a meeting in Nairobi in which both committed to working jointly on the orderly, humane and dignified repatriation of Somali refugees back to Somalia as per the Tripartite Agreement.

The two countries and UNHCR signed a Tripartite Agreement in 2014 which outlined the process for voluntary repatriation of refugees from Dadaab camp.

However Kenya has protested noting the continued stay of refugees in the camp was posing a threat to its national security and that international community was not keen on helping the East African country fast track the repatriation process.