UNCHR Committed to Continue Supporting Ethiopia

May 10/2021(ENA) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) expressed commitment to continue supporting the People and Government of Ethiopia for the protection and rehabilitation of refugees.

UNHCR Director for East and Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes Bureau, Clementine Nkweta-Salami made the remark today during her discussion with Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya, Meles Alem.

During the courtesy call, Ambassador Meles briefed Director Nkweta-Salami on the humanitarian operations and the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of the Government of Ethiopia in aftermath of the law enforcement operations, the manifold strategic importance of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) both in Ethiopia and the entire region at large as well as the dispute on the Ethio-Sudanese border.

Madame Nkweta-Salami, on her part, commended the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia for granting the UNCHR unfettered access to the Tigray region to provide humanitarian assistance.

Pointing to the fact that, the UNHCR together with the Government of Ethiopia, especially with Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), to facilitate the voluntary, safe and dignified return and rehabilitation of Ethiopian refugees in the Kenyan refugee camps of Kakuma and Dadaab, reiterated the fact that UNHCR is committed to continue supporting the People and Government of Ethiopia for the protection and rehabilitation of refugees.

The Ethiopian Embassy in Kenya in collaboration with the UNHCR has so far voluntarily repatriated 66 and provided 1,776 travel documents to Ethiopian refugees who have lived in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps from three to 40 years.