Yesterday, Thursday June 9th, in local media:
Somalia ready to receive Dadaab refugees – Mohamud
Yesterday 11:25 am
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 9 – Somalia President Sheikh Mohamud says his country is ready to receive Dadaab refugees.
President Mohamud who was on a three-day official visit assured the refugees of inclusion in the process of state building, peace building and national reconciliation.
The Somalia President said they are working together with the Kenyan Government to make sure that the repatriation process is done in a manner that is humane and dignified as per the Tripartite Agreement.
“Somalia needs its people back home a process which has to end in a smooth, friendly and amicable manner,” said Mohamud.
The Somalia President and President Uhuru Kenyatta also discussed a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues in particular peace, security and stability in Somalia, repatriation of refugees from Dadaab and economic cooperation.
On bilateral cooperation, the two leaders directed the immediate convening of the Joint Commission for Co-operation to follow up on its implementation particularly on joint border crossing and security, trade and investment, health, education, sports and youth, culture and scientific research and communication.
They also called upon the international community in line with the principles of burden sharing, to support the repatriation process by providing adequate support to the Federal Government of Somalia to receive the returnees.
President Kenyatta said the discussions held were cordial and fruitful adding that the government will continue to support and work with Somalia Government on issues of mutual interest given the fact that both countries share an extensive border.
He also accepted an invitation to visit Mogadishu extended to him by Mohamud, stating that he looked forward to the visit together with IGAD and work together in ensuring a peaceful stable Somalia.
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On The BBC this Friday:
Head of the UN's refugee agency Filippo Grandi has said that Somali refugees in Kenya should not be forced to go home.
He insists repatriation should be voluntary.
He's been speaking to refugees at the Dadaab camp in eastern Kenya, which is home to 320,000 Somalis.
The comments come as Kenya is seeking to close the camp - one of the largest in the world - by November.
Mr Grandi said there's "no need repatriating them to Somalia only for them to come back here or be refugees again".
Head of the UN's refugee agency Filippo Grandi is in Kenya for talks on controversial government plans to close down the world's largest refugee camp, Dadaab.
The Kenyan government announced last month that it wants to close down the camp in the east of the country which is home to more than 340,000 Somali refugees by the end of November.
It claims some of the attacks carried out in the country were planned there.
Despite intense pressure from the international community to reverse that decision, President Uhuru Kenyatta maintains that all refugees in Kenya will be returned home as the country is facing a huge economic and security burden.
This year alone, 8,000 refugees in Dadaab have voluntarily returned to Somalia but tens of thousands others say they are too afraid to go back due to security concerns.
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More soon.
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