Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GENEVA1094
2008-12-18 14:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Mission Geneva
Cable title:  

KENYA: KEY DONORS STRATEGIZE ABOUT SOMALI REFUGEE

Tags:  PREF PREL SO KE PGOV EAID 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 181431Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7763
INFO SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 
USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 001094 


FOR NAIROBI REFCOORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREF PREL SO KE PGOV EAID
SUBJECT: KENYA: KEY DONORS STRATEGIZE ABOUT SOMALI REFUGEE
SITUATION

REF: GENEVA 1074

Classified By: Peter F. Mulrean, RMA Counselor; Reasons 1.4 b and d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 001094


FOR NAIROBI REFCOORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018
TAGS: PREF PREL SO KE PGOV EAID
SUBJECT: KENYA: KEY DONORS STRATEGIZE ABOUT SOMALI REFUGEE
SITUATION

REF: GENEVA 1074

Classified By: Peter F. Mulrean, RMA Counselor; Reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a December 18 meeting hosted at the
U.S. Mission, key donor government representatives discussed
the current challenges facing Somali refugees in Kenya. They
agreed to seek a briefing from United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Deputy High Commissioner
after his planned January 2009 mission to Kenya; to consider
possible joint actions; and to suggest Kenya as a potential
site for the next UNHCR Donor Mission (to be held in February
or March 2009). Separately, UNHCR Deputy Director for Africa
briefed us on current contingency planning for a sudden
inflow of Somalis into Kenya following the withdrawal of
Ethiopian forces from Somalia. END SUMMARY.

--------------
Donor Core Group Meeting
--------------


2. (SBU) RMA Counselor hosted a meeting of key donor
representatives on December 18 to raise awareness about the
challenges facing Somali refugees in Kenya and examine the
possibilities for joint action. Meeting participants
included Fredrik Kirst (Sweden),Emina Tudakovic (Canada),
Yvonne Ruijters (Netherlands),Anne Viken (Norway),RMA
Attache, and RMA Program Assistant. Afterwards, RMA
Counselor reviewed the discussion with German Counselor Peter
Beck and the EC Counselor Kim Eling, who were not able to
attend the meeting.


3. (SBU) RMA Counselor began by briefing meeting participants
on the extremely overcrowded and poor camp conditions in the
Dadaab refugee camps, the continuing influx of 6,000 to 8,000
Somalis per month, the refusal of the Government of Kenya
(GOK) to re-open the Liboi Transit Center to process new
arrivals, the potential for an even larger influx in the
coming months, the political hurdles to acquiring land for
new camps, and the options to open a camp in Wajir and
relocate refugees from Dadaab to Kakuma camp. He also
outlined his discussion with the GOK Commissioner for
Refugees last week (reftel). Recalling the key "Good
Humanitarian Donorship" principle that donors should not only
provide financial support but also diplomatic support to

humanitarian actors, RMA Counselor suggested that donors
could seek ways to provide political support to UNHCR's
efforts vis-a-vis the GOK, particularly following the planned
visit of Deputy High Commissioner Craig Johnstone to Kenya in
January.


4. (C) There was general agreement on the current state of
affairs and the timeliness of bringing such a "core group"
together. Participants believed their capitals would be
prepared to consider both individual and joint actions to
address the troubling situation. Ruijters opined that the
time was getting ripe for a joint demarche on the GOK. She
suggested donors appeal to the GOK's security concerns.
Drawing on points from the Dutch embassy in Nairobi, she
noted concern that extremist elements from Al Shabab were
infiltrating the refugee camps. If no arrangements are made
to increase capacity at Dadaab, a large influx of refugees -
including potentially extremist elements - might head for
Nairobi instead, she said. Participants agreed to seek a
briefing from Johnstone following his January visit to
discuss next steps. They also agreed to suggest Kenya as a
potential site for the next UNHCR Donor Mission (to be held
in February or March 2009) as another means of raising the
profile of the issue, as well as donor-country concerns.


5. (SBU) As for programming, Kirst emphasized the need for
increased Refugee Status Determinations (RSDs),and reported
Sweden's end-of-year contribution on $2.5 million to UNHCR's
Kenya Operation would hopefully help improve RSDs. Ruijters
urged donors to refrain from earmarking their funds to be
used only inside Somalia, and suggested that the UN Country
Team in Kenya could work together to address the Kenyan
authorities' desire for projects targeting the local
population surrounding the Dadaab camps. There was consensus
about the need for UNHCR to clarify its plans to issue
another appeal for Somalia-related funding before the end of

2008.

--------------
UNHCR Contingency Planning
--------------


6. (SBU) RMA Counselor spoke to UNHCR Deputy Director for
Africa Mengesha Kebede later on December 18 to inform him of
the core group meeting. Kebede was very appreciative of the
initiative and thought it would be good to reassemble the
group for a briefing after the Johnstone visit. No date has
been set yet, though Johnstone is thinking of the second week
in January. Kebede said that Johnstone would try to contact
Amb. Ranneberger in the coming days to discuss the visit.
Kebede reported that he had just come from a meeting to
discuss contingency planning for Kenya. UNHCR is very
concerned by reports that Ethiopia might close its border to
Somalia following the withdrawal of troops were very
troubling. If internal violence ensues in the wake of the
withdrawal, this would likely mean that the most of the
refugees would head to Kenya. To complicate matters further,
stockpiles originally identified in contingency planning for
Kenya are no longer available because they are being drawn
down to deal with crises in DRC and Kivu. Therefore, UNHCR
is working with its logistics operation in Dubai to identify
emergency items for a potential Kenya crisis. Finally, Kebede
reported that UNHCR would issue a supplemental budget appeal
for $70 million representing the full range of needs
surrounding Somali refugees in Kenya, to include new camps,
upgrading existing camps, and additional activities.


TICHENOR