The government of Kenya on Wednesday said that it had set aside 10 million USD to help fund the closure of the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab.
Kenya budgets $10 m to shut down Dadaab refugee camp
“To kick-start the repatriation process and subsequent closure of Dadaab Refugee Complex, the Government has availed with immediate effect 10 million dollars and as part of putting in place the requisite technical infrastructure to oversee the repatriation process,” said Joseph Nkaiserry, Kenya’s Interior Minister.
CS GenNkaisserry statement on refugee repatriation https://t.co/NwjSdI6v8x #DaadabShutdown
— InteriorCNG Ministry (InteriorKE) May 11, 2016
Kenya says it needs to shutdown the camp, which is home to some 350,000 Somali refugees, citing security fears after a string of terror attacks by al-Shabaab. Nkaisserry said al-Shabaab fighters have been using the camp as a base for smuggling weapons.
Kenya’s second-biggest camp, in Kakuma, which largely holds refugees from South Sudan, appears to have been spared for now. Dadaab refugees have been given until the end of May 2017 to depart Kenya, sources say.