The East African Community (EAC) is partnering with stakeholders to develop policies and guidelines to ensure that human rights violations and challenges facing refugees in East Africa are addressed.
“We are currently working to finalise and adopt the EAC Regional Refugee Management Policy and develop costed action plans to ensure hamornised regional approaches that are consistent with international standards including access to quality asylum procedures, protection and assistance, digital identity documents, family unity and durable solutions,” said EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth.
Hon. Ariik was speaking this week during a courtesy call at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania by the Director of the UNHCR Regional Bureau for East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, Mr. Mamadou Dian Balde. Hon. Ariik received the UNHCR official on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki.
East African countries are currently hosting about four million refugees.
They are predominantly hosted by Uganda (1.4 million), Sudan (906,600), Ethiopia (694,506), DR Congo (536,000), and Kenya (471,300).
The refugee crisis, which has put a strain on the region’s resources, has been exacerbated by conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, DR Congo, Burundi, Somalia and Ethiopia.
Crisis
Researchers at Oxford University discovered that the sizes of refugee populations during the colonial era often pale in comparison to many postcolonial refugee crises in East Africa.
Hon. Ariik said EAC was working to address state fragility, establish and monitor regional peace mechanisms, implement democratic electoral processes, promote regional/bilateral mediation and reconciliation processes and support transitional justice processes in the region.
Ariik said that EAC was also pursuing a regional approach on economic inclusion through investment in climate reform, financial inclusion and private sector investments in refugee hosting communities and returnees’ areas.
The DSG disclosed that the EAC was also developing joint guidelines on the inclusion of the forcibly displaced and stateless populations, in particular women and youth in humanitarian, peace and development processes.
Hon. Ariik said that the region was enjoying a relatively calm state of peace and security except in Eastern DRC which for the last three decades has experienced insecurity and under-development.
“This state of affairs has led to internally displaced persons in Eastern DRC and refugees in neighbouring countries,” he added.
The DSG said that to address the issue of refugees and asylum seekers in the EAC region, Article 10 of the Protocol on Peace and Security establishes common mechanisms for the management of refugees.
On his part, Mr Balde, said that the UN agency was mobilising support to enable it to assist the EAC to better manage refugee matters.
Mr. Balde emphasised the importance of supporting refugees on the continent to live a better life by equipping them with life skills through training so that their lives are not wasted.
The UNHCR official said that it was the dream of every refugee to have a better life and return to their homes once things stabilise.
