n a highly anticipated visit to the region, U.S Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in neighboring Kenya on Sunday and met the leaders of the nation to discuss on critical issues concerning the latest situation across the region.
Among the issues Mr Kerry discussed with Kenyan officials led by President Uhuru Kenyatta was the refugees living in the country which Kenya has always claimed that they are part of the on-going insecurity problems.
In a press conference after the meeting, the U.S Secretary of state stressed that he is ‘confident’ that Kenya will not forcibly deport the refugees to their home country – Somalia.
“I leave here with a much greater awareness of the challenge, with a much more immediate sense of the urgency of resolving it, and with a much greater commitment to try to work with our international partners in order to get the job done,” he said while speaking on the issue of the refugee crisis.
He revealed a new $45 million aid package which will be handled to the UNHCR for the assistance of Somali refugees and South Sudan for clean better, education and health.
Following the al-Shabaab massacre in Garissa University last month, the government of Kenya ordered UNHCR for the repatriation of refugees within three months. Human rights groups condemned the move which they said is violating the refugees’ conventions.
Kenyan leaders accused the Dadaab refugee camps as training grounds for terrorists and where al-Shabaab launched attacks from.
The Dadaab camp currently houses more than 350,000 refugees of Somali origin.
