Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said that there is an urgent need to have a global conversation on refugee issues.
Mudavadi said because of this, he will pitch Kenya's effort to solve the refugee challenge during the 74th Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mudavadi said he is also expected to make a keynote address at the event themed 'Camps to Settlements: Socio-economic Hubs for Integrated Refugee Inclusion in Kenya'.
"In Geneva, I intend to pitch Kenya as a frontrunner in providing solutions to the rising refugee problem. I am pleased to inform you that through the 'Shirika Plan', Kenya is pioneering innovative approaches for refugee management," he said.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary spoke on Thursday when he presided over the launch of Barrack Muluka's book titled 'Home and Exile, at the the French Cultural Centre in Nairobi.
He said the Shirika plan aims at transforming the refugee camps into integrated settlements supporting the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and host communities in Garissa, Turkana, and urban areas.
"The entire globe is affected and we cannot continue to do the same things time and again, and wish the migration issues away. The world must speak with one voice on refugee matters," he noted.
He said the fact that Africa today contributes a third of the global refugee population is a worrying trend and one that needs immediate and sustained intervention.
Mudavadi said Kenya has generously hosted refugees and asylum seekers for many decades.
It remains the fifth largest refugee-hosting country in Africa and thirteenth largest asylum country in the world, with over 644,011 registered refugees and asylum seekers.
Statistics also show that the vast majority reside in camps, including over 274,274 in Dadaab (Garissa County) and nearly 272,748 in Kakuma (Turkana County) while about 96,989 refugees reside in Nairobi and other urban areas.
