East and Horn of Africa states agree to tackle displacement regionally

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb.24 (UNHCR) - Seven countries from the East and Horn of Africa worst affected by displacement, said at a Nairobi conference they were committed to increasing cooperation and adopting regional strategies to deal with forced displacement in the region.

"Not only do the conflicts themselves often run across borders, but displacement is in essence a cross-border challenge," UNHCR's Africa Bureau deputy director Oluseyi Bajulaiye told the week-long ministerial conference.

A staggering figure of 11 million displaced, or close to eight percent of the 150 million-strong population of the seven countries from the IGAD sub-region of Africa (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda) are affected by displacement. This represents 66 percent of Africa's internally displaced, and 30 percent of global internally displaced.

The conference on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) organised jointly by IGAD - the Intergovernmental Authority on Development sub-regional organisation - and UNHCR, was the first of its kind in the region.

Welcoming participants, Kenyan foreign affairs minister Raphael Tuju gave a personal account of experiences with the displaced, illustrating some of the many problems they faced.

"I have seen an Ethiopian woman in Dadaab, [a refugee camp in northern Kenya] of an affluent family, who had married a man 'who would not be her house boy back home' she said, just to get protection from other men. Another young Somali girl I met was torn between love and rejection for her child, who was born from a rape."

Ministers vowed to look at the root causes of displacement and develop adequate responses at political and humanitarian levels.

They agreed in their final recommendations to "undertake sincere reflection and soul-searching on human development and human security issues and their impact on forced displacement" with a view to developing a common vision and harmonise their approach to donors.

Enhancing their national asylum systems - particularly for refugee status determination - was also high on their agenda, along with consulting each other on durable solutions strategies and jointly addressing specific situations such as the Sudan, Somalia and Northern Uganda.

While taking into account their national security interests, ministers agreed to facilitate access of refugees and displaced persons to fundamental human rights, including training and development opportunities. The recognition of education certificates across the region was highlighted as an essential tool for reintegration, long-term reconstruction and development.

Another result of the conference will be the creation of a forced displacement unit within the IGAD Secretariat in Djibouti to support efforts of states in their search for durable solutions to displacement. Refugee and displacement issues will be on the agenda of the IGAD annual Council of Ministers.

The IGAD states insisted on the need for urgent funding saying they needed help from the humanitarian agencies and the international community, in particular to support environmental rehabilitation in areas affected by large groups of displaced people as well as help with eradicating landmines and small arms traffic.

IGAD is a sub-regional organisation created in 1986 to coordinate the efforts of member states in combatting desertification and the effects of drought. In 1996, it was revitalised including humanitarian affairs in its mandate as part the organisation's strategy for sustainable development in the region.

By Delphine Marie in Nairobi, Kenya