Somali refugees in Africa: patterns, challenges and the way forward (WITHDRAWN)

Peter Kintu, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
Sathyanarayanan Doraiswamy, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
Joanina Karugaba, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
Thomas Albrecht, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

Somalia has not had a functioning government for twenty years, resulting into a complex phenomenon that makes Somalia one of the top three countries in the world generating displaced populations. Some 680,000 Somalis live as refugees in neighbouring countries; over 100,000 fled in 2010 alone. Somali refugees put a sizable impact on the neighbouring countries with regard to socio-economic, security and other development aspects, and the population itself is greatly affected. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees provides for their protection and assistance in collaboration with the host Governments and other peace initiatives by the international community. The increasing outflow of Somalis warrants additional support and investment in African countries to cope with the effects of hosting refugees. On the whole, more efforts should address the root causes of the Somalia conflict to reduce this refugee pressure and facilitate Somalia’s development through retention and utilisation of its productive population.