Kenya/Somalia: Somali refugees in Kenya; their status in Somalia; what happens to them when their refugee camps are closed; the status of Somali refugees who left Kenya, then returned to find that the refugee camps where they had formerly lived had closed (follow-up to ZZZ34534.E of 20 June 2000)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 20 July 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ35101.E |
| Reference | 4 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Kenya/Somalia: Somali refugees in Kenya; their status in Somalia; what happens to them when their refugee camps are closed; the status of Somali refugees who left Kenya, then returned to find that the refugee camps where they had formerly lived had closed (follow-up to ZZZ34534.E of 20 June 2000), 20 July 2000, ZZZ35101.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad8210.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On 27 June 2000 a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ottawa stated the following:
A number of refugee camps were established in Kenya in 1991 during the influx of thousands of asylum-seekers fleeing Somalia, following the collapse of the government of Siad Barre. Several of these refugee camps have since been closed. Currently, the refugee camps in Kenya are located at Kakuma and Dadaab (Ifo, Dagahale and Hagadera camps). Refugees who resided in previous refugee camps which were subsequently closed, and who could neither repatriate nor secure resettlement to third countries, were required by the Government of Kenya policy to relocate to the refugee camps in Kakuma and Dadaab. The UNHCR undertook their relocation to these refugee camps. Although the Kenyan government policy requires refugees to live in the camps, an undetermined number, especially Somali refugees, remain outside the camps and live in urban areas on their own without the authorization of the Government of Kenya. From time to time some of them are arrested and accused of being in Kenya unlawfully.
The Government of Kenya considers Somali nationals as refugees on a prima facie basis. This is also the position taken by the UNHCR (with reference to Article 1 (2) of the 1969 OAU Convention). None of the Somali (or Sudanese) refugees in Kenya are considered by the government to be permanent residents of Kenya, in view of the government's policy that they must live in the camps and are not permitted to settle locally. The official position taken by the Government is that Kenya is a "transit country" for refugees.
Concerning return to Kenya of a Somali refugee who was formerly in Kenya, the position taken by the Government of Kenya is that those who have left will not be permitted to return to Kenya. In the few cases where the government has entered into bilateral negotiations to secure the return to Kenya of a refugee who had left the country, the individuals have of course been required upon readmission to proceed to and reside in a refugee camp.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Branch Office for Canada, Ottawa. 27 June 2000. Correspondence.