Somalia: The source and home to thousands of refugees

MOGADISHU, Somalia - For close to three decades, Somalia has been classified as a major source of refugees across the world, given many years of internal disputes and civil war, coupled with violent extremism, that has threatened to tear the country apart.

More often than not, many Somalis have found a safe haven abroad as refugees but a number of them are just across the border in Kenya and Ethiopia in United Nations High Commission for Refugees [UNHCR] stations. Dadaab and Kakuma are the largest homes to Somali refugees.

But within the country, there are close to 2.9 million displaced persons, some of who are victims of floods, clan militia, and even terrorism, with political turmoil leading in the pecking order. They are, however, taken care of by the UN and other partners.

Unknown to many, however, Somalia also plays host to foreign refugees, many of them from Yemen and Syria, which have also been struggling with political instability and endless war. Of close to 25,000 internally displaced persons in Somalia, there are 6,800 Yemenis and 700 Syrians.

In fact, a number of Syrians are now running hotels and medical clinics in Somalia, one of the most unlikely destinations for them. Some of them are now referring to Somalia as their second home despite being regarded as a hostile environment for refugees.

In respect to this development, Faith Kasina of the U.N.'s refugee agency, UNHCR, has praised Somalia's open-door policy for refugees, which allows them to move freely and work, using their skills without the need of a permit.

"Somalia had its own challenges over the years, but we must applaud this country and government because they have maintained an open-door policy for refugees for the past 30 years despite challenges they have been facing," Kasina said. "We know that refugees are now able to live among local communities in urban areas and that they can also move around freely in the country."

Among millions of Yemenis who have been displaced from their homes following the war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government include Ifrah Salah Abdalla. She arrived in Mogadishu six years ago and balances her time as an information technology student and a part-time cashier to support her family.

According to her, when she arrived in Somalia, she didn't face many challenges given Somalia does not demand visas from refugees especially those from Syria. She added that the relevant government refugee agencies had been very supportive in business initiatives, such as opening restaurants and clinics equally to refugees and locals.

Ishak Abdullahi Elmi lived in Syria as a Somali refugee from 1996 to 2000. He is now among candidates vying for a seat as a member of the federal parliament in the upcoming Somali elections. He said he thought refugees from Syria, in particular, should be welcomed in his country.

But despite the fact that Somalia is hosting refugees, her citizens elsewhere in Kenya are required to be repatriated by the end of June 2022 as the government seeks to close Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. The Kenyan government gave a timeline after threatening to close the camps in March 2021.

Early this year, a former presidential aspirant Peter Gichira moved to court challenging the government decision to close the two camps arguing that the move is unconstitutional. He was among thousands who opposed the move.

Gichira argues that the directive on the closure of the two camps violates the Constitution of Kenya, International Laws, and treaties regarding the protection of refugee rights and is therefore null and void.

However, as the world celebrates International Refugees Day, the Kenyan government has already reached an agreement on the repatriation of refugees from the two camps. The two countries have also resolved their diplomatic tiff which almost escalated to toxic levels.

GAROWE ONLINE