Germany, Kenya and UNHCR launch a joint project to support implementation of the Shirika Plan.

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Germany, Kenya and UNHCR launch a joint project to support implementation of the Shirika Plan.

A new three-year partnership will roll out Kenya’s Shirika Plan on the ground- strengthening institutions, expanding energy access and opening up skills and livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities alike.

12 February 2026

From R–L: Alexander Fierley, Deputy Ambassador, German Embassy in Kenya; Robin R. Ellis, Representative, UNHCR Kenya (a.i.); Mercy Mwasaru, Commissioner for Refugee Affairs , Kenya; Tania Fabricius, Head of Division for Displaced Persons and Host Countries; and Bodo Immik, Country Director, GIZ Kenya, during the project launch.

The Government of Germany, in partnership with the Government of Kenya and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), today launched a new joint project to support the implementation of Kenya’s Shirika Plan. The Shirika Plan aims to strengthen the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and host communities.

The three-year project will support national and county level efforts to translate the Shirika Plan into practical, on-the-ground results. It will focus on strengthening institutional capacities and systems, expanding access to improved or modern energy services and providing needs-based skills trainings to promote inclusive socio-economic opportunities for both refugees and host communities.

Kenya hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, many of whom have lived in the country for decades. Protracted displacement, combined with growing pressure on services and livelihoods in host communities, has underscored the need for sustainable, development-oriented responses. Developed by the Government of Kenya, the Shirika Plan provides a comprehensive framework Shifting from humanitarian assistance to development approaches that benefit both refugees and host communities.

Speaking at the launch, representatives of the Government of Kenya reaffirmed the country’s commitment to progressive refugee policies that promote dignity and social cohesion, while ensuring that host communities benefit alongside refugees.

The project is jointly implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and UNHCR, in close collaboration with the Department of Refugee Services (DRS). It aims to contribute to improved livelihoods, strengthened institutions and enhanced coordination between humanitarian and development actors, in line with the Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus.

"The Shirika Plan marks a significant shift which benefits both refugees and host communities. Through this partnership, UNHCR is working with the Government of Kenya, the Government of Germany and other partners to translate policy commitments into tangible opportunities - by

strengthening systems, expanding access to services and supporting pathways towards self-reliance,” said Robin R. Ellis, Acting UNHCR Representative of UNHCR in Kenya.

In her speech, Ms. Tania Fabricius, the Head of Division for Displaced Persons and Host Countries at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development emphasized that Germany’s support to the Shirika Plan aligns with its priorities on displacement and migration. She underlined, ’’Germany remains committed to responsibility-sharing and to supporting host countries in developing sustainable solutions that address the drivers of forced displacement, promote stability and foster inclusive economic development.’’

The launch of this project marks an important milestone in advancing the Shirika agenda and demonstrates the shared commitment of the Government of Kenya, the Government of Germany and UNHCR to sustainable solutions to displacement.