UNHCR Special Envoy in Kuwait to seek partnership and funding for Somali Refugees

The Special Envoy for the Somali refugee situation undertook a mission to the kingdom of Kuwait to look into partnership and funding opportunities for UNHCR and the Somali refugee situation in particular.

During his two-day mission last week, he held consultative meetings with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Direct Aid, Al Rahama International, The UN Resident Coordinator and the UNCT, where he spearheaded the agenda of refocusing the attention on the Somali refugee situation.

The various organizations expressed their gratitude to the Special Envoy, for UNHCR’s continued support to the people of concern towards finding durable solutions and further appreciated his mandate towards the Somali refugee situation.

Ambassador Affey appreciated Kuwait’s lead humanitarian and development role. He lauded Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) for their landmark cooperation with UNHCR. “I am aware of the MoU signed in April 2016 with the objective of strengthening humanitarian – development nexus,” He said when meeting with Mr. Abdulwahab AL-Bader, the Director- General of KFAED.

The Special Envoy noted with concern in his meetings about the Somali refugee situation being both massive and protracted albeit almost a forgotten crisis competing for attention with new emerging refugee crisis across the world. “Over two million Somalis continue to endure protracted situations of displacement, which have lasted for over two decades and affected three generations,” said Ambassador Affey

He reiterated the importance of keeping a high-level focus on the maintenance of protection space and realization of appropriate durable solutions for Somali refugees while also advocating for integration into national systems and development assistance to host communities in asylum countries, adding that this calls for regional and international solidarity and responsibility sharing as a prerequisite for positive progress.

Ambassador Affey reinforced and highlighted the fact that UNHCR interventions and responses are now informed by the comprehensive refugee response framework under the auspices of the New York Declaration.

 “There is need to redouble the efforts towards finding durable solutions for the Somali refugee situation,” Ambassador Affey said. He further noted that UNHCR is engaging a much broader group of stakeholders to provide a more systematic and sustainable responses to the refugee situation across the globe.